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Kentucky Football: Plenty of time and so many players

Kentucky’s reign as the #1 team in the Rivals Recruiting Team Ranking has ended. The highly ranked Four and Five star players (Rivals 100) are beginning to make their lists known, but most haven’t committed. Kentucky could lose one or two of our commitments, but most will stick with us and we’ll pick up some more between now and Signing Day.

By Hank Rippetoe
Keep hope alive for Artavis Scott, pictured above.
Keep hope alive for Artavis Scott, pictured above.
Student Sports

Can Kentucky keep the pace with the Big Dogs? I don't think you can say one way or the other when it comes to Stoops and Company. They surprised us with the 2013 class and they're continuing to surprise with the 2014 class. What is truly amazing is he hasn't coached his first game at Kentucky. The staff has only made one debatable recruiting mistake so far by waiting too long to offer 3* LB Chris Frey. He committed to Michigan State the same day Kentucky offered. He had been a part of the Barker, Snodgrass, Edwards, West consortium that was constantly talking Kentucky. I don't know if we're still trying to flip him.

Kentucky has several Rivals 100 players that have been offered who could go Kentucky's way. Here's the list:

# 5 Lorenzo Carter - he's the #1 ranked 5 star DE from Norcross, GA. He's very unlikely to commit to Kentucky and 247 Sports projects him to commit to Alabama.

#38 Josh Malone - he's the #3 ranked 4 star WR from Gallatin, TN. Rivals doesn't show and offer for whatever reason, but he was offered on 1/29/13 and visited UK on 2/23/13. He's another unlikely Kentucky commitment. He's projected to commit to Tennessee or possibly Georgia.

#39 Jamal Adams - Kentucky may have had a shot before Joker Phillips was fired. He and George Adams were roommates at UK. Adams is the 4 star #3 Safety in the nation. 247 Sports projects him to Florida or Texas. The majority of their experts say Florida. Don't even think UK is going to get him. Joker is his god-father.

#45 Marshon Lattimore - This 4 star player is the #2 ranked Athlete and Rivals says he's the #1 player in Ohio. Kentucky faces an uphill battle because he's projected to commit to Ohio State. If Vince Marrow can turn Lattimore towards Kentucky, he should become Recruiter of the Year. Lattimore attends Cleveland's Glenville HS which is Ohio State's primary feeder school. If offered by the Buckeyes, players from this school are automatically assumed to be Ohio State commits.

#51 Ronnie Clark - Kentucky offered this 4 star player back on 2/9/13 when he was in Lexington for a visit. He's the 7th ranked Safety for his position and is from Calera, AL. He's expected to commit to Alabama, but also has shown some interest in Auburn, LSU and Vanderbilt. UK isn't high on his list.

#55 Clifton Garrett - This 4 star 4th ranked Linebacker is one of the few we've recruited from Illinois, but he's a good one. The Plainfield, IL prospect will most likely commit to LSU. He's the #1 player in Illinois, according to Rivals.

#71 Mark Andrews - Kentucky's venture into Scottsdale, AZ brought an offer to this 9th ranked WR. This is another player that Rivals says we didn't offer after they said we did. He was offered on 3/22/13. He doesn't have any interest in the Cats and is projected to commit to the Arizona Wildcats.

#79 Keyon Brown - Brown is a 4 star out of Wauchula, FL and is the #4 DE. Chad Scott offered him on 2/14/13. He's projected to commit to Miami, but may be waiting to see what happens with Miami's NCAA hearing. That projection was made back in April. The fact is....he's not showing any favorites right now.

#81 Artavis Scott - Drew Barker has been on Scott hard. They've developed a friendship, but I'm not sure it's enough to reel Scott in. The Tarpon Springs, FL WR is ranked #11 at his position. 247 Sports projects him as a Michigan commit. I'm not buying it, especially since he has offers from Florida, Florida State and Miami. IMO, Kentucky's chances are slim, but not out of the realm of possibility.

#84 Thomas Holley - This 4 star from Brooklyn, NY is the #4 DT according to Rivals. He is being recruited by Jimmy Brumbaugh. One guy at 247 Sports say he's an Alabama lean. However, he looks pretty open to me as he hasn't announced any favorites. He's taken visits to Ohio State, Florida State, Miami, Florida and Notre Dame, all unofficial and all during June. I don't believe Kentucky has a shot.

#88 Dwight Williams - Williams is a 4 star LB and is ranked # 4 as an Outside Linebacker. He's from Garden, CA. Kentucky offered him back on 3/8/13. He may sign with USC, but he's projected to go with Florida. Kentucky isn't in the hunt.

#89 Isaiah Wynn - This 4 star OG would be a huge commitment for Kentucky. The St. Petersburg, FL prospect is ranked #2 at his position. He's probably Georgia bound unless Chad Scott pulls off a miracle.

That's it for the Top 100, but remember we're still after 4 star WR Braxton Berrios, 4 star WR Blake Bone, 4 star WR Dominique Booth, 4 star WR Johnnie Dixon, 4 star TE Bryce Dixon, 4 star DB Stepheny Durham, 4 star LB Rashaan Evans, 4 star Safety Rashaan Gaulden, 4 star Athlete Terry Googer, 4 star DB Wesley Green, 4 star DB Dravon Henry, 4 star WR Corey Holmes, 4 star APB Tony James, 4 star DB Chris Lammons, 4 star OL Corey Martinez, 4 star Safety Cortez McDowell, 4 star Athlete E.J. Moss, 4 star LB Kevin Mouhon, 4 star WR Montae Nicholson, 4 star DB Nigel Patten, 4 star DB Kendall Randolph, 4 star OL Nick Richardson, 4 star WR Austin Roberts, 4 star DE Dante Sawyer, 4 star DL Elisha Shaw, 4 star DB Deon Singleton, 4 star DB D.J. Smith, 4 star WR Moral Stephens, 4 star LB Tyrell Tomlin, 4 star DE Andrew Williams, and 4 star LB Richard Yeargin III, all Rivals Top 250 players, plus a host of 3 star players.

You can read all about them on the last Big Board.

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