Hello friends. The weekend is almost here. Time sure is flying, even though it feels like we’re inching ever so slowly toward the return of Kentucky football. While I have your attention, let me share a few things from the recruiting trail and more.
Top 50 Talent Schedules OV
Myles Smith is a four-star talent who moved up to No. 47 overall in the latest update of the Rivals300. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound EDGE from Michigan has caught attention from multiple Big Ten schools, including Michigan State, where he will visit in May. Tony Washington Jr. has given Kentucky plenty of traction in Smith’s recruitment, locking up an official visit for June 12.
“The relationship I have with the coaching staff,” Smith told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong. “They make me feel like a priority. Coach Tony and I have been talking a lot and I like how he develops his players and how I can fit in his style of play. Excited to come check out the campus in the spring.”
Terhyon Nichols Takes Charge
It was difficult to discern how the new coaching staff assessed Terhyon Nichols. A decorated four-star recruit from Cincinnati, he flashed as a true freshman before he was sidelined by a season-ending shoulder injury. His sophomore season produced a mixed bag of results. Tasked to play a significant amount of snaps, he was just fine. There were times when he looked great, but others where he was picked on by opponents.
Brad White was one of Nichols’ No. 1 fans because of his intangibles. He’s a film junkie who loves competition. Jay Bateman clearly saw those intangibles, and they’re manifesting during winter workouts, with Nichols front and center at Nutter Field House.
Cultivating a culture with a new coaching staff is difficult. It requires returning players to buy into the message and make it infectious throughout the locker room. It’s why Ty Bryant was such an important player to retain. It’s good to see he’s not the only one taking charge.
Kentucky isn’t Abandoning Ohio
Will Stein‘s coaching staff is maintaining Kentucky’s recruiting footprint in Ohio. Hezikiah Kelly is a Cincinnati native who was once committed to play for his hometown team. The three-star safety reopened his recruitment and has scheduled an official visit to Kentucky for June 12. He also has an OV to UConn on the docket. His older brother played for Jason Candle at Toledo.
In-State Player to Monitor
The top-ranked defensive lineman in the rising junior class plays high school football in Louisville. After helping CAL win another state championship, Kellan Hall is Rivals’ No. 5 player in the 2028 recruiting class. Kentucky has connections to his high school; assistant Keith Towbridge worked for former Louisville QB Hunter Cantwell from 2021-23. Hopefully, those connections paid dividends down the road.
Speaking of the road, Hall is hitting it this spring to tour a bunch of campuses. Oklahoma is up first, and they appear to be the early leaders in his recruitment. His father tells Steve Wiltfong that Hall is also making stops at Missouri, Notre Dame, and Tennessee before he gets to Kentucky’s campus on March 31. Texas, Ohio State, and Indiana are also in the mix for this extraordinary talent who calls Kentucky home.
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