Kentucky football 2024 recruiting class tracker: Cats add LB on February signing day
The bulk of Kentucky football’s 2024 high school recruiting class was signed in December, but the Wildcats added a late commitment on the traditional signing day in February.
You can bookmark this page to follow along with the commitments throughout the 2024 cycle. Players are listed in order of their commitment date, with the most recent pledge first. In the weeks leading up to signing day in December, three commitments announced they would not be signing with Kentucky: three-star outside linebacker Lorenzo Cowan, three-star offensive lineman Jadon Lafontant (Boston College) and four-star edge rusher Elijah Groves (N.C. State).
LB Quintavion Norman
247Sports Composite rating: N/A
High school: Newton (Covington, Georgia)
Commitment date: Feb. 7, 2023
It appeared Kentucky had wrapped up its 2024 recruiting work in December until Norman landed a scholarship offer the weekend before the February signing period opened during a visit to Lexington. Norman’s recruitment will evoke memories of Josh Allen and Calvin Taylor as he flew so far under the radar that he did not even have a rating on the major recruiting services when UK offered. Norman was at one point committed to play for a junior college but now will hope to prove his physical tools can translate into becoming a breakout star like Allen and Taylor did after landing offers from UK late in their senior years with no other Power Five conference interest.
DB Cam Dooley
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Valley (Valley, Alabama)
Commitment date: Dec. 20, 2023
The first December signing day commitment for Kentucky, Dooley picked the Wildcats over Missouri. Dooley played quarterback, wide receiver and safety in high school but will play defense at Kentucky. While the 247Sports Composite, which averages the ratings of the major recruiting services, rates him a three-star prospect, 247Sports’ own ratings elevated him to four-star status shortly before signing day.
OL Marc Nave
High school: Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio)
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
Commitment date: Nov. 16, 2023
Kentucky’s last commitment before signing day, Nave first pledged to Ohio State in March but reopened his recruitment in September. He visited Kentucky twice during the 2023 season, ultimately picking the Wildcats after his official visit in November.
RB Jason Patterson
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Sneads (Sneads, Florida)
Commitment date: Nov. 14, 2023
Patterson originally committed to Cincinnati in August before flipping his pledge to Kentucky in November. In addition to Kentucky and Cincinnati, Patterson took summer official visits to Boston College, Rutgers and Vanderbilt.
OLB Brian Robinson
247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars
High school: Westerville North (Westerville, Ohio)
Commitment date: Oct. 4, 2023
One of Kentucky’s top targets in the class, Robinson picked UK after a visit to Lexington for the Florida win. At various points in Robinson’s recruitment, UK looked like it might be trailing multiple traditional powerhouse programs, but he ultimately picked the Wildcats over Michigan and Penn State. The 247Sports Composite ranks Robinson as the No. 93 prospect in the entire 2024 class, making him UK’s highest-rated commitment by that metric. Robinson’s pledge moved UK’s class into the top 25 national rankings.
OLB Devin Smith
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Brunswick (Brunswick, Georgia)
Commitment date: Sept. 23, 2023
The fourth Smith to join Kentucky’s 2023 class earns the distinction of strangest commitment timing as he announced his pledge to Kentucky at 2:56 a.m. the night after his Brunswick High School team lost a game against crosstown rival Glynn Academy. Despite the strange timing, the commitment was a significant win for Kentucky’s staff as Smith reported scholarship offers from many of the SEC’s biggest powers, including LSU, Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn.
OLB Jacob Smith
247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars
High school: Corbin
Commitment date: Sept. 15, 2023
After following twin brother Jerod Smith with a commitment to Michigan in July, Jacob flipped his pledge to Kentucky on the field after Corbin’s Sept. 15 win over Frederick Douglass. The Smith brothers started their high school career at Somerset before spending two seasons at a Connecticut prep school. They transferred back to the Bluegrass State to play for Corbin as seniors. The 247Sports Composite ranks Jacob as the No. 19 edge defender prospect in the high school 2024 class.
DL Jerod Smith
247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars
High school: Corbin
Commitment date: Sept. 15, 2023
Jerod was the first of the Smith brothers to commit to Michigan, pledging to the Wolverines in April. Like his brother, Jerod flipped to Kentucky after Corbin’s win over Frederick Douglass. The 247Sports Composite ranks Smith as a top-30 defensive line prospect in the 2024 class and the No. 2 prospect in Kentucky, behind only LCA quarterback Cutter Boley.
WR Hardley Gilmore
247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars
High school: Pahokee (Pahokee, Florida)
Commitment date: Aug. 25, 2023
Kentucky continued to build the group of receivers blue chip quarterback recruit Cutter Boley could one day throw to with a commitment from Gilmore just before the start of the 2023 season. Gilmore picked the Wildcats over finalists Penn State and UCF. He is the fourth commitment rated as a four-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite to join the class and the second wide receiver to pledge to the Wildcats.
LB Steven Soles
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Powell (Powell, Tennessee)
Commitment date: Aug. 2, 2023
Kentucky’s recent success recruiting the Volunteer State continued with a commitment from Soles, who reported offers from SEC rivals Alabama, Mississippi State and South Carolina at the time of his commitment. Soles is expected to play outside linebacker in college. He has dubbed himself “Sack’em Soles” on social media as a nod to his pass-rushing prowess.
WR David Washington
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: St. Joseph’s Prep School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Commitment date: July 8, 2023
Virginia, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Maryland, Boston College and Oregon were the other Power Five schools to reportedly offer scholarships before Washington committed to Kentucky. Washington’s commitment continues UK’s recent recruiting emphasis in the Mid-Atlantic. Kentucky will hope Washington adds to the speed in its wide receiver room as he reported running a 4.38 40-yard dash at a college showcase in May.
DB Quaysheed Scott
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Marion (Marion, South Carolina)
Commitment date: July 4, 2023
After opening July with two four-star commitments, Kentucky added a pledge from an under-the-radar prospect in Scott. Neither 247Sports or Rivals had rated Scott at the time of his pledge. He committed to Kentucky just less than a month after earning a scholarship offer from the Wildcats with a strong performance at a UK camp in Lexington. Kentucky was the first Power Five program to offer. Scott listed Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Old Dominion and Miami (Ohio) as his other finalists. Scott’s home state South Carolina Gamecocks have yet to offer, but a strong senior season could bring them into contention before signing day. Scott told The Cats’ Pause two of his cousins, including 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith, have played for South Carolina.
CB Terhyon Nichols
247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars
High school: Winthrow (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Commitment date: July 2, 2023
Kentucky landed its second four-star commitment in the first weekend of July with a pledge from Nichols, who picked the Wildcats over finalists Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Nichols was the second-highest rated recruit in the class at the time of his commitment. The 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 22 cornerback in the country and No. 9 prospect in Ohio.
DE/OLB Caleb Redd
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: De Smet (St. Louis, Missouri)
Commitment date: June 28, 2023
The second edge rusher to commit to Kentucky’s 2024 class, Redd picked the Wildcats over reported Power 5 scholarship offers from Oklahoma, Southern Cal, Wisconsin, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Nebraska, Kansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Minnesota and Purdue. His commitment represents a win for assistant coach Frank Buffano who has spent years working to establish UK’s brand in the St. Louis area.
TE Willie Rodriguez
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Covington Catholic (Park Hills, Kentucky)
Commitment date: June 23, 2023
Kentucky offered Rodriguez a scholarship in April after a host of Power 5 programs from outside the state had begun to up their pursuit of the Covington Catholic star. He pledged to the Wildcats after taking June official visits to UK, Purdue and Virginia Tech. As a junior, Rodriguez caught 14 passes for 295 yards and five touchdowns. He would be the first Covington Catholic player to sign with Kentucky in the recruiting website era.
ATH Jiquavious Marshall
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Westside (Macon, Georgia)
Commitment date: June 21, 2023
The second commitment of the day for Kentucky on June 21, Marshall picked the Wildcats over reported Power 5 offers from Florida State, Michigan, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Iowa State, Virginia, Duke, Georgia Tech, West Virginia and Indiana. Marshal plays receiver and defensive back for his high school and is rated as an athlete by the recruiting websites. He is expected to play defense at Kentucky.
RB Tovani Mizell
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Western (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Commitment date: June 21, 2023
Mizell made it three commitments in three days for Kentucky when he pledged to the class on June 21. He pledged to Kentucky shortly before he had been scheduled to take a visit to Oklahoma. Mizell was previously committed to Georgia when he was considered one of the top running backs in the class of 2024, but he backed out of that pledge after the Bulldogs accepted a commitment from another running back with a similar skillset. Mizell’s recruiting rankings dropped over the last year, but ESPN still ranks him as a four-star prospect. He visited North Carolina and Kentucky in June.
K/P Jacob Kauwe
247Sports Composite rating: N/A
High school: Billings West (Billings, Montana)
Commitment date: June 20, 2023
New UK special teams coordinator Jay Boulware landed his first high school kicker recruit for the Wildcats when Kauwe committed shortly after a visit to Lexington. Leg strength appears to be a plus for Kauwe, who won the kickoff competition at a Kohl’s kicking camp in May. He would be the first scholarship recruit from Montana to sign with Kentucky in the recruit website era.
OLB Antwan Smith
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Westlake (Atlanta, Georgia)
Commitment date: June 11, 2023
A two-sport standout in football and track, Smith committed to Kentucky after an official visit to Lexington in June. Boston College, Duke, Vanderbilt, Minnesota and N.C. State were the other Power Five programs to reportedly offer a scholarship. At Kentucky, Smith is expected to play the “Jack” linebacker position.
QB Cutter Boley
247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars
High school: Lexington Christian Academy
Commitment date: May 18, 2023
The most hyped quarterback recruit to commit to Kentucky since Tim Couch in the early 1990s, Boley was initially rated among the top quarterbacks in the class of 2025 but announced he was reclassifying to 2024 when he pledged to the Wildcats. Boley picked the Wildcats over reported offers from traditional football powers across the country, including finalists Tennessee, Michigan, Florida State and Penn State. The 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 14 quarterback in the 2024 class. He is expected to enroll at UK in January.
OL Aba Selm
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Simon Kenton (Independence, Kentucky)
Commitment date: Feb. 2, 2023
The 247Sports Composite ranked Selm as the top prospect in the Kentucky high school 2024 class until Boley reclassified. Missouri, Louisville, Penn State, Indiana and Illinois all reportedly extended scholarship offers to Selm in the month before he picked the Wildcats. He is the first Simon Kenton player to commit to UK since Miles Simpson in the class of 2010.
OL Hayes Johnson
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Taylor County (Campbellsville, Kentucky)
Commitment date: Jan. 26, 2023
The first recruit to join Kentucky’s 2024 class, Johnson picked the Wildcats over finalists Louisville, Tennessee, Michigan State and Baylor. UK has struggled to hold onto its first commitments for much of the Stoops era, but the two players that did buck that trend (Landon Young in 2016 and Ty Bryant in 2023) were from the state like Johnson. He would be the first player from Taylor County to sign with Kentucky in the recruiting website era.
This story was originally published June 12, 2023 at 7:00 AM.