Kentucky high school football talent off to college, 2017

[Old School]

How much can the state contribute to UK's program? How much must UK rely on out of state talent to build the program?

Here's where Kentucky kids ended up in 2017:

P5

LB Derrick Barnes, Covington Holy Cross - Purdue
OG Cole Bentley, Belfry - Louisville
WR Keyron Catlett, Christian County - Purdue
OT Austin Dotson, Belfry - Kentucky
AT C.J. Hayes, South Warren - Michigan State
DB Nate Hobbs, Male - Illinois
DB Kenneth Major, Christian County - Purdue
QB Tanner Morgan, Ryle - Minnesota
TE Jake Paulson, Christian Academy - Minnesota
OT DeShon Washington, Ballard - Purdue
OT Jedrick Wills, Lafayette - Alabama
QB Walker Wood, Lafayette - Kentucky

9 Kentucky kids went to out of state P5 schools; 8 of the 9 went to the Big Ten.

Other

RB Jamale Carothers, Bowling Green - Navy
WR Tyce Daniel, McCracken County - Memphis
OG Cole Kirby, Franklin-Simpson - Middle Tennessee
OT Woodford Lankford, Lexington Catholic - Toledo
OG Jordan Meredith, - WKU
QB Desmond Ridder, St. Xavier - Cincinnati
OT Cole Spencer, Trinity - WKU
DB Russ Vaden, Moore - Eastern Michigan

I don't know much about these kids, but congratulations to Mr. Carothers for his admission to the Naval Academy. That's a great honor.

Some physical specimens who may not have landed anywhere yet:

DT Damion Carpenter, Western Hills, 6'0", 297
DT Austin Daulton, Southwestern Pulaski, 6'3", 329
LB Jonathan Dooley, Central, 6'0", 230
LB Steven Franklin, Glasgow, 6'1", 229
QB Patrick Henschen, Newport Catholic, 6'5", 210
DT Rayquan Horton, Belfry, 6'2", 290
WR Dylan Johnson, Butler, 6'4" 180
OG Alex Simpson, Lafayette, 6'4", 300
LB Kendrick Talley, Central, 6'2" 220
OT Hunter Ziegelmeyer, Covington Catholic, 6'6", 270

I have no idea what sort of speed, skills, football smarts, strength, grades, test scores, etc. any of those kids have, or if any of them might grayshirt or walk on somewhere.

[Lighthouse]

Some of the kids in that 3rd list have good size. I wonder if we're looking at any of the DT's?

[RV]

Some of the kids in that 3rd list have good size. I wonder if we're looking at any of the DT's?

Not that I'm aware of. The Alex Simpson kid is walking on at UK.

[Old School]

Some of the kids in that 3rd list have good size. I wonder if we're looking at any of the DT's?

If so, I don't think they received offers. Here's what appears to have happened with them:

DT Austin Daulton, Southwestern Pulaski, 6'3", 329 - committed to Murray State

DT Rayquan Horton, Belfry, 6'2", 290 - committed to Eastern Kentucky

DT Damion Carpenter, Western Hills, 6'0", 297 - I have no idea about him

Here is where four other kids ended up:

OG Alex Simpson, Lafayette, 6'4", 300 - walking on at Kentucky
LB Kendrick Talley, Central, 6'2" 220 - Colorado State
OT Hunter Ziegelmeyer, Covington Catholic, 6'6", 270 - Dartmouth
LB Jonathan Dooley, Central, 6'0", 230 - Kentucky Wesleyan

I do not know anything about where these players might land:

LB Steven Franklin, Glasgow, 6'1", 229
QB Patrick Henschen, Newport Catholic, 6'5", 210
WR Dylan Johnson, Butler, 6'4" 180

[Lighthouse]

Thanks for the update.

[40bill]

Not trying to belittle the abilities of any of the homegrown kids. By and large, I still believe what Jerry Claiborne said years ago still holds true...the players from the state of Kentucky with a few exceptions are usually at least a year behind kids from Florida, Georgia, and Texas in their development. Not saying they won't turn in to true studs, but it's more of a future investment than an immediate dividend. I think the coaching staff is working to eventually try to 'lock the borders' but still need that player that can impact THIS season or early next rather than wait on that development.... hence the heavy focus on Ohio and now into player loaded Florida. Seems like at one time we had made some decent inroads in Georgia, another player rich state as well.

[Old School]

In Texas, it's a way of life; kids play football all over that state from a young age, and most of the best athletes there play football and are encouraged to do so by families and in some instances whole communities. Parts of Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana are the same way. It is huge in Florida, too, where the weather allows it to be pursued year round and you have an incredibly high level of competition that raises the bar for everyone. In Kentucky, by contrast, when Claiborne was at UK, on through the 1990s, spring football didn't exist, and most kids were encouraged to play basketball, not football. That has changed, but the level of play in Kentucky is nowhere near what it is in those other states, so often (though not always) even a remarkable talent will be much more raw than if he had played in Florida or Texas, or in several other states.

States with higher populations, like Texas, Florida, Ohio and Georgia, are always going to have more D-I talent just by operation of numbers, but they also have other factors at work.

[RV]

It's no big mystery why Kentucky produces fewer FBS qualtity kids. It all just boils down to population density and demographics.

[Old School]

2018, so far:

OL Charles Allen, Doss - Purdue

DT Tyrese Allen, Paintsville - West Virginia

DT Tahj Rice, Waggener - Duke

ATH Kadin Smith, Spencer County - Purdue

Very likely to end up with P5 schools:

DB Jairus Brents, Waggener

LB Justice Dingle, Bowling Green

ATH Rondale Moore, Trinity

These may also:

OL Parker Bisek, Ryle

LB Kameron Butler, Covington Catholic

WR Cameron Garrett, St. Xavier

QB Kolbe Langhi, Christian County

OL Wyatt Smock, St. Xavier

ATH Terez Traynor, Doss

Other commitments so far:

OL Ethan Bingham, Johnson Central - Marshall

QB A.J. Mayer, Covington Catholic - Miami OH

OL Dalton Tucker, Bourbon County - Marshall

I will be interested to see how many Kentucky kids end up with P5 schools this year, and how many end up with scholarships elsewhere, and whether a trend of improvement in those nunbers emerges.

[bigblue4life]

Jeff Brohm at Purdue obviously working KY pretty hard in recruiting.

[Old School]

Updated (Rondale Moore to Texas):

2018, so far:

OL Charles Allen, Doss - Purdue

DT Tyrese Allen, Paintsville - West Virginia

ATH Rondale Moore, Trinity - Texas

DT Tahj Rice, Waggener - Duke

ATH Kadin Smith, Spencer County - Purdue

OL Wyatt Smock, St. Xavier - Vanderbilt

Very likely to end up with P5 schools:

DB Jairus Brents, Waggener

LB Justice Dingle, Bowling Green

These may also:

LB Kameron Butler, Covington Catholic

WR Cameron Garrett, St. Xavier

QB Kolbe Langhi, Christian County

ATH Terez Traynor, Doss

Other commitments so far:

OL Ethan Bingham, Johnson Central - Marshall

OL Parker Bisek, Ryle - Toledo

QB A.J. Mayer, Covington Catholic - Miami OH

OL Dalton Tucker, Bourbon County - Marshall

[RV]

Bisek is committed to Toledo
Smock is committed to Vandy

UK doesn't have much interest in in-state players this year and vice-versa.

[Old School]

Thanks RV. Changes made to prior post.

Are Dingle and Traynor the in state kids of the most interest to UK right now?

[RV]

Dingle is a Tennessee born kid and I don't like our chances right now, even with the huge opening appearing at our MLB position. My take on Traynor is he is a down the list kid.

[Old School]

Updated:

2018 P5 commitments from Kentucky, so far:

OL Charles Allen, Doss - Purdue

DT Tyrese Allen, Paintsville - West Virginia

LB Justice Dingle, Bowling Green - Georgia Tech

ATH Rondale Moore, Trinity - Texas

DT Tahj Rice, Waggener - Duke

ATH Kadin Smith, Spencer County - Purdue

OL Wyatt Smock, St. Xavier - Vanderbilt

DB Cory Trice, Christian County - Purdue

Very likely to end up with P5 schools, class of 2018:

DB Jairus Brents, Waggener

These 2018 prospects may also end up at P5 schools:

WR Cameron Garrett, St. Xavier

QB Kolbe Langhi, Christian County

Other 2018 commitments so far:

OL Ethan Bingham, Johnson Central - Marshall

OL Parker Bisek, Ryle - Toledo

LB Kameron Butler, Covington Catholic - Miami of Ohio (reportedly over Vanderbilt, Purdue and the service academies)

QB A.J. Mayer, Covington Catholic - Miami OH

ATH Terez Traynor, Doss - Western Kentucky

OL Dalton Tucker, Bourbon County - Marshall

2019 prospects who do or will have P5 offers (not a complete list):

QB Beau Allen, Lexington Catholic - uncommitted

OL Tanner Bowles, Glasgow - uncommitted

DE Stephen Herron, Trinity - Michigan

OL Bryan Hudson, Scott County - uncommitted

DT Jacob Lacey, South Warren - Notre Dame

WR Wandale Robinson, Western Hills - uncommitted

DE J.J. Weaver, Moore - uncommitted

WR Milton Wright, Louisville Christian - uncommitted