UPDATE 3:10 pm
Preferred walk-on Manny Harper tells Justin Rowland he won’t sign until February. Harper, from Louisville (KY) Waggener Traditional, originally chose UK over offers from Morehead State, Eastern Kentucky and Murray State.
UPDATE 12:30 pm
Mark Stoops held his Signing Day press conference, but the handout given to media about UK’s 2018 signees did not include Xavier Peters. The four-star linebacker appears unlikely to sign during the early period. He is the lone UK commit to not sign early.
UPDATE 12 pm
Four-star safety Trey Dean has signed with Florida. UK was among his finalists.
UPDATE 11 am
Three-star JUCO linebacker Bryant Pirtle has signed with Utah. He was one of UK’s top remaining targets. His finalists were UK, Utah and Louisville.
UPDATE 9:30 am
Three-star tight end Brenden Bates has signed with UK, who now have 20 signees. The only committed recruit to not sign is four-star linebacker Xavier Peters, who is expected to wait until February to sign.
UPDATE: 8:45 am
UK has receiver a commitment and national letter of intent from three-star receiver Bryce Oliver. Offensive coordinator Eddie Gran said fans will be “shocked” by what Oliver brings to the team.
UPDATE: 8:30 am
Terry Wilson has signed with UK. Despite continued pursuit by Florida and Nebraska, UK was able to hold on and sign Wilson, who will compete for the starting job in the spring. Here is his UK profile.
UPDATE: 8 am
UK has announced the following players have signed their national letters of intent:
- Darian Kinnard, 6-7, 330 pounds, offensive lineman
- Marquan McCall, 6-3, 350 pounds, defensive lineman
- Stanley Garner, 6-2, 180 pounds, defensive back
- DeAndre Square, 6-1, 205 pounds, linebacker
- Jamari Brown, 6-2, 180 pounds, defensive back
- Marvin Alexander, 6-2, 175 pounds, wide receiver
- Jerquavion Mahone, 6-3, 300 pounds, defensive lineman
- Domonique Williams, 5-10 180 pounds, defensive back
- Akeem Hayes, 5-10, 170 pounds, wide receiver
- Chris Rodriguez, 6-0, 220 pounds, running back
- Keaton Upshaw, 6-6, 240 pounds, tight end
- Kenneth Horsey, 6-3, 330 pounds, offensive lineman
- Quintin Wilson, 6-3, 320 pounds, center
- Chance Poore, 6-3, 200 pounds, kicker
- Max Duffy, 6-1, 200 pounds, punter
The Kentucky Wildcats are set for what’s shaping up to be a great early signing period for the football program.
Today marks the beginning of the early signing period. Beginning at 7 am EST today and running through Friday at 11:59 pm, high school seniors can sign national letters of intent with college programs.
For mid-year juco signees, nothing changes. The signing period opens today and runs through Jan. 15. That’s why we’ll see both high school seniors and JUCO recruits signing with UK today.
To help make all of this even more special for the Big Blue Nation, UK is bringing back the football war room:
Early Signing Day is tomorrow! Set your ⏰ for 7:30 am ET to watch the live stream from the UK Football war room at Kroger Field on https://t.co/59B9UYaFdR, SEC Network+ and Facebook “Kentucky Football.” #bluegrassbound18 #NSD18 pic.twitter.com/pYyy6zV7yC
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) December 19, 2017
Fans looking to go behind the scenes as football team welcomes a new class on Wednesday are in luck. Signing Day coverage will begin bright and early at 7:30 a.m. ET on Dec. 20 and continue late into the morning. UK Athletics will produce its webcast live from the UK football war room, located in the recruiting room at Kroger Field.
Heading into Signing Day, UK is in position to finish with one of the highest-ranked classes ever since the inception of online recruiting services.
This class had been ranked in the top 25 range in most of the major recruiting services, and the hope is it will finish ever higher between now and the final signing period in February.
This will also serve as the Wednesday quickies.
Signing Day Reading Material:
- Live Signing Day Coverage on Wednesday | University of Kentucky
- When new Early National Signing Day happens in college football - SBNation.com
- Storylines and classes to watch in the early signing period - ESPN
- Early Signing Period announcement guide - Rivals.com
- Expectations of football recruiting’s first ever Early Signing Period - SBNation.com
- Early signing period: OSU, Texas, Georgia lead way in current recruiting rankings - 247
- College football's early signing period is good for U of L, UK - Courier Journal
- College football’s new early signing period, explained by coaches - SBNation.com
- Kentucky announces first football signee in Max Duffy - 247
- College football recruiting: Early signing period primer for Kentucky - A Sea Of Blue
Now, keep track here for all of today’s fun!