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5-star guard Trevor Keels offered by Kentucky

The Cats have a new major recruiting target as they look to finish off their 2021 class.

City Of Palms Classic Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The Kentucky Wildcats have a new offer out in the 2021 class.

On Friday, Tipton Edits reported that five-star guard Trevor Keels had landed an offer from Kentucky.

A 6-5, 210-pound recruit out of Paul VI Catholic High School in Virginia, Keels is ranked 16th overall by 247 Sports, 19th by ESPN, and 20th by Rivals. All three services list Keels as a shooting guard, something Kentucky badly needs help at going into the 2020-21 season, especially when it’s a three-level scorer like him.

Keels had previously narrowed his final list of schools down to the Duke Blue Devils, Virginia Cavaliers and Villanova Wildcats. Other schools who’ve offered include the Florida Gators, North Carolina Tar Heels, Michigan Wolverines, Louisville Cardinals and Ohio State Buckeyes.

To this point, Duke has been viewed as the favorite for Keels, as the Blue Devils hold all of the picks in the 247 Sports Crystal Ball and Rivals FutureCast.

Here’s a brief scouting report of Keels from 247 Sports’ Jerry Meyer.

Tremendous physical strength for a shooting guard. Has length as well. Highly competitive with an impressive basketball IQ. Plays a power game but can score from all three levels. Solid ball handler. Good passer. Has strength to be a better rebounder. Solid defender.

Seeing as how Kentucky is getting in the mix a bit late in Keels’ recruitment, you have to think John Calipari feels he has a pretty good shot at Keels if he’s extending a scholarship. There’s been very little mention of Kentucky being a player for Keels over the last year, though with recruiting being dramatically affected by COVID-19, there’s probably a lot more going on behind the scenes that’s not being publicized, so who knows how heavily Kentucky has been recruiting him.

Also, despite Kentucky’s struggles this season, they’re expected to lose Terrence Clarke and Brandon Boston Jr. to the NBA Draft, so there’s going to be backcourt spots up for grabs next season.

Duke is struggling mightily as well, though I’m not sure which, if any of their guards will leave this offseason. Perhaps they’re more likely to remain in college, which would crowd the Blue Devils’ backcourt and make somewhere like Kentucky more attractive for a likely one-and-done guy like Keels.

In the meantime, check out some highlights of Keels in action.

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