‘You’ve got to have them in this league.’ Big men pave way for historic UK class.
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College football early signing period
The early signing period for college football recruits in 2019 is Dec. 18-20. Click here to read all the coverage from the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com.
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The University of Kentucky’s 2020 football recruiting class was thought to be one of, if not the best assembled at the school before the week started. It got even better by Wednesday.
Four players — all considered four-star prospects by at least one of the two major recruiting services — committed to UK in a period of about 24 hours. All four of them — offensive guard R.J. Adams, offensive tackle Jeremy Flax, defensive tackle Josaih Hayes and defensive tackle Octavious Oxendine — signed with the Wildcats on Wednesday in addition to 15 of the 16 players who had committed over the past several months.
Including Joey Gatewood — a transfer from Auburn whose addition to Kentucky’s roster was officially announced for the first time Wednesday — Kentucky will bring at least 20 new players to campus next year.
Rivals through Wednesday ranked Kentucky’s class No. 20 overall in the nation and ninth in the Southeastern Conference, ahead of Mississippi State (25), Mississippi (45), Vanderbilt (54), Missouri (71) and Arkansas (82). 247Sports had it rated No. 23 in the country and also ninth in the league.
Both rankings include Torrance Davis, a three-star running back who has not yet signed. Head coach Mark Stoops, who can’t comment on unsigned prospects, was coy when asked about the status of verbal commits who have not yet signed anywhere.
“This class was really solid for us,” Stoops said. “To think that you’re going to shoot 100 percent, you know what I mean? That’s not it. We understand that too. Sometimes these guys go out there and commit and we’re like, ‘Really?’ We’re just in the lead. So we understand.”
College football’s early signing period runs Wednesday through Friday this week. Players will have a second opportunity to sign between Feb. 5 and April 1.
Oxendine, a star for North Hardin High School in Radcliff, turned a trio of expected in-state signees into a quartet. He joined Lexington Catholic quarterback Beau Allen, Christian Academy of Louisville offensive lineman John Young and Male wide receiver Izayah Cummings.
His announcement occurred during Stoops’ news conference, which was originally scheduled for an hour earlier than it began. Recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow interrupted him during it to share the good news.
“We got Octavious in the boat,” Stoops said with a grin. “That’s another really big guy in state. That’s why I was hoping to get that commitment today. I had to back this up to make sure we could talk about him.”
Counting Florida native Samuel Anaele — listed as an outside linebacker but who could play defensive end — UK signed 10 linemen, five of them on each side of the ball. Rivals’ average star rating for UK’s entire class is 3.5 (the highest since online recruiting services became a thing), and the average for the 10 “bigs” is 3.9. Eight had a four-star rating or better; only Clemson (nine) signed more highly touted linemen in this class, per Rivals.
Stoops described them all as difference-makers.
“You know how I feel about the front guys,” Stoops said. “You’ve got to have them in this league.”
The cream of the crop was Justin Rogers, a Michigan prep star whom Rivals rates as a five-star recruit, the second-best defensive tackle in the nation and No. 15 overall in the 2020 class. He is the highest-rated prospect to sign with Kentucky in the internet era.
Rogers’ relationship with Steve Clinkscale — UK’s defensive backs coach who is primarily responsible for UK’s recruiting efforts in Michigan — was pivotal in keeping him “in the boat” after he originally committed in May.
“He’s a special player and he’s a great young man, Justin,” Stoops said. “Every time we see him, whether he’s on campus or when I got a chance to go visit him, you know he’s one of those guys that puts a smile on your face. He affects other people in such a positive way. And he’s been — for such a highly ranked player — he was a joy to recruit. It says a lot about him and his character.”
Gatewood
Gatewood doesn’t count as far as recruiting rankings go, but he and LSU transfer Kelvin Joseph — who enrolled in the fall — were both formerly four-star prospects out of high school, adding more star power to a signing class that features nine players who boast a four-star rating from at least one recruiting service. Joseph will be eligible in the fall whereas Gatewood isn’t expected to be eligible until 2021.
Recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow said UK, out of respect, consulted multiple times with Allen, whom the staff has recruited since he was a freshman, before pursuing Gatewood.
“It could have been easy for him to say, ‘Ah, you know,’ but he was stern in what he wanted to do and our relationship was good with him,” Marrow said. “He’s a competitor, man.”
Early enrollees
The following players will enroll in January: Beau Allen, Sam Anaele, Kalil Branham, Deondre Buford, Jeremy Flax, Joey Gatewood, D’Eryk Jackson, JuTahn McClain, Octavious Oxendine, Andru Phillips and John Young.
This story was originally published December 18, 2019 at 7:28 PM.
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