UK football recruiting picking up

When longtime Kentucky recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow left for archrival Louisville a little less than three weeks ago, it cast doubts on whether Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops and his remaining staff could pick up the slack on the recruiting trail.

Since Marrow’s departure, UK has landed commitments from 10 prospects — and they’re expected to keep the momentum going.

With three-star Texas defensive lineman Ben Duncum’s commitment on Wednesday, Kentucky now has pledges from 11 recruits for 2026. The Wildcats lost out on four-star Paducah Tilghman offensive lineman Jarvis Strickland, who committed to the Cats on May 30 but changed his mind last week. Now, he’s expected to land at Vanderbilt.

Stoops and Kentucky’s staff have been working to mitigate Marrow’s departure — as well ease tensions within the fanbase — and are hoping their latest recruiting efforts have helped quell the concerns.

The Cats have clearly placed an emphasis on bringing in wide receivers and safeties, with three commitments each from those positions.

Kentucky’s top commitment comes from four-star safety Messiah Tilson from Rockford, Ill., a 6-foot-2, 165-pounder who picked the Cats over finalists Minnesota, Rutgers and Wisconsin. He’s rated the 38th safety in the nation and the 11th-best Illinois prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite.

UK’s other defensive back commitments are from three-star safety Jordan Crutchfield, a 6-3, 200-pounder from Florida and three-star cornerback Isaiah McMillian, a 6-1, 170-pounder from Katy, Texas.

Kentucky’s top wide receiver for 2026 so far is three-star Dallas Dickerson, a 6-1, 180-pounder from Georgia. The fleet-footed pass-catcher, who picked the Cats over Georgia Tech and Oklahoma, is rated the 72nd wide receiver in the nation and the 54th-best prospect from Georgia.

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Publish date : 2025-06-27 03:59:00

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