Recruiting analyst predicts Kentucky’s 2023 recruiting class

John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats missed out on one of the nation’s top players in the class of 2023 this week. Point guard Robert Dillingham decided to take his talents to NC State on Wednesday.

Despite the loss, Kentucky is still projected to land a monster class in 2023, and missing out on Dillingham isn’t going to change that.

Ben Roberts of the Herald Leader predicted Kentucky’s 2023 class in his latest recruiting mailbag.

The Cats already have a commitment from Reed Sheppard who is ranked as the No. 22 overall player and the No. 5 overall combo guard according to 247 Sports’ Composite rankings.

On top of Sheppard, Roberts believes the Cats will still bring in the No. 1 overall player in the class by landing DJ Wagner. There is still the chance he decides to take the professional route but the family ties to Calipari and the new NIL rules could help bring him to Lexington.

Staying in the top 15, Calipari has officially offered four elite wing players in Mookie Cook, JJ Taylor, Mackenzie Mgbako and Justin Edwards. Roberts does expect the Cats to land at least one of those players.

“I expect UK to land at least one of those players — not Mgbako, who seems destined for Duke — and possibly two from that group. As of now, I’d say Edwards is the most likely, but we’ll see.”

Looking in the post, the two centers that seem to be at the top of the list are Baye Fall, who is the No. 6 overall player and the No. 1 center, and Isaiah Miranda who is “a bit of a late-bloomer and one of the more intriguing players in the class.”

Roberts noted that both players are expected to be taking visits to Kentucky over the next few weeks.

Calipari has also offered Kwame Evans Jr who is the No. 2 overall player in the class. While this recruitment is still too soon to tell, the Cats were the first official visit for the 6-foot-9 power forward.

“So, for the 2023 class, I’d expect Sheppard, Wagner, at least one of those elite wings, a five-star center and possibly Evans.” Roberts wrote.

He continued, “Leaving room for a wild-card addition and the possibility that Calipari can land two of those wings, that would be 4-6 five-star players, with most of them ranked in the top 10 nationally.”

If that is how the 2023 class shakes out for Calipari and the Wildcats, then that would truly be a monster class and would without a doubt be the No. 1 overall class that season.

You can check out Roberts’ entire recruiting mailbag here.