In-state star Kaden Moorman chooses Kentucky. ‘He’s such a special talent.’
It’s about two months before the early signing period for the 2022 football recruiting cycle begins, but Kentucky is already making headway with the 2023 class.
Kaden Moorman, a running back at Franklin County High School, announced his commitment to the Wildcats via a video posted to his social media accounts Friday afternoon. He became the second player in the 2023 class to pick UK, following Frederick Douglass athlete Ty Bryant.
Vince Marrow has been Moorman’s primary recruiter for UK, which offered him in June following a visit to one of the school’s camps. Both 247Sports and Rivals rank him as a three-star prospect and the No. 4 player in the state. Rivals rates Moorman as a running back, and has him as the No. 15 player nationally at the position; 247Sports has him tabbed as the No. 31 athlete in the country and right outside of its top 300 prospects (No. 337).
At 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, Moorman is physically similar to most of the running backs recently recruited to UK. La’Vell Wright, a standout rusher at North Hardin who signed as part of last year’s cycle, is listed at 5-11 and 202 pounds. Chris Rodriguez, currently the leading rusher in the Southeastern Conference, was listed at 5-11 and 200 pounds when he signed with the Cats as part of the 2018 class.
Wisconsin was the first Power Five school that extended an offer to Moorman, whose only other reported offer was from Toledo. The Rockets have had success recruiting the Flyers’ program before — Tennessee Titans quarterback Logan Woodside played for Franklin County prior to a record-setting career with the Rockets.
The Badgers offered on June 7, one week before UK. Flyers head coach Eddie James thinks their endorsement prompted the Wildcats’ staff, which poached Wisconsin running backs coach John Settle, to take a closer look at a prospect playing 25 miles from their campus.
“We knew he was good,” James said. “But I got to be there in person at the Wisconsin camp, and he dominated that camp. He was head and shoulders above everybody at that camp. That was the moment for me. He elevated his game on that stage.”
After dropping three straight games to start September, Franklin County has won its next two to improve to 4-3 going into its last stretch of regular-season contests. Moorman on 92 carries has rushed for 777 yards and 14 touchdowns, already more than what he had a year ago on more touches (606 yards and 13 TDs on 101 carries). He also has 124 yards on 10 receptions for a program coming off its first appearance in a state championship game.
The Flyers have hit some speed bumps on their road back to Kroger Field, but Moorman has been a reliable constant.
“When we line up, everybody knows that Kaden’s standing back there,” James said. “The way people defend us is a little different. It’s a little harder for him to earn yards. We’re just having him focus on being a tough guy, ‘cause when you’re playing running back it’s a little different than being a featured receiver. We just want him to carry the load for us and do all those things while everyone in the stadium knows where the ball’s going.”
Moorman has not just had to adjust this season to being the focal point of opposing defenses — quarterback Nick Broyles and receiver Fred Farrier, now a freshman at UAB, had that privilege the last couple of years — but also to taking on more of a vocal leadership role. James is confident that, especially after another year of maturation, he’ll be a great fit with the Wildcats.
“Practice is easy for him because he’s such a special talent,” James said. “I was blessed enough to be around when (former UK wide receiver) Ryan Timmons played for us at Franklin, and it reminds me of the ease he had. He’s playing at such a high level that the game slows down for him. It’s just different. That’s really the only way to describe it.”
2022 update
UK has 15 recruits committed as part of the 2022 recruiting cycle after recently picking up wide receiver Brandon White, a 5-foot-9 standout at Cincinnati Moeller.
White announced his commitment last week on the Kentucky Sports Radio show. He’s rated as a three-star prospect by both 247Sports and Rivals, and was clocked running a 4.3-second 40-yard dash at an Iowa State camp this year.
Kentucky is vying for the commitment of Frederick Douglass star Dane Key, a four-star recruit whose final four schools consist of UK, Michigan, Oregon and South Carolina. He’s making his announcement on Oct. 28.
