Top Targets: Examining Kentucky’s priority recruits on defense
Kentucky is off to a strong recruiting start in the 2025 high school cycle on offense. The same is not true of the defense yet. We are now just seven months away from the December signing day, and the Wildcats have zero defensive commits in the fold. That needs to change soon.
A critical part of the recruiting calendar comes in the next two months when schools host 2025 prospects for official visits. Following that will be a huge commitment window as programs add the meat and potatoes of their class before the college and high school seasons get rolling in August.
In preparation for the official visits that are just a month away for Kentucky football, we are taking a closer look at Kentucky’s recruiting board and examining who are the most important current targets. After touching on offense, we now switch over to the defense where the Wildcats have numerous priority targets locked in for official visits in June.
Javeon Campbell
Position: Defensive Line (6-5, 260)
High School: Frankfort (Ky.) Western Hills
Ranking: 4-star (No. 303 overall)
Javeon Campbell was a late riser in the class of 2025 as he did not play high school football until 2023. However, the raw physical traits are undeniable giving the four-star prospect extremely high upside. Kentucky is a major contender, but some blue blood programs are hot in pursuit of the Frankfort (Ky.) Western Hills product.
Intel: Kentucky enters the official visit season as the favorite, but Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State are all legitimate contenders for the high-upside prospect. This recruitment is still fairly wide open, but the Wildcats appear to be in the lead.
Martels Carter
Position: Safety (6-1, 185)
High School: Paducah (Ky.) Tilghman
Ranking: 4-star (No. 187 overall)
The in-state recruit has long been one of the top targets on Kentucky’s recruiting board, and that has not changed. Martels Carter has taken multiple visits to Lexington with Vince Marrow leading the charge. The Wildcats are still in the driver’s seat despite Auburn, Clemson, and Michigan all making a push.
Intel: Martels Carter had planned to commit in May. We are unsure if that timeline is still accurate at the moment but Kentucky is currently the heavy favorite and has a good chance to wrap this up sooner rather than later.
Iose Epenesa
Position: EDGE (6-4, 245)
High School: Edwardsville (Ill.) High
Ranking: 4-star (No. 50 overall)
The top-50 prospect in the Midwest took an unofficial visit to Lexington, and Kentucky made the top 10 cut. Iose Epenesa has not locked in any official visits for this wide open recruitment, but the Wildcats are currently in the thick of the race.
Dawayne Galloway
Position: Cornerback (6-2, 175)
High School: Columbus (Ohio) Marion-Franklin
Ranking: 4-star (No. 132 overall)
Kentucky has very much been seen as a contender in this recruitment, but things appear to be trending away from the Wildcats. Penn State, Purdue, and Syracuse have each locked in official visits with Dawayne Galloway. The No. 6 overall player in Ohio appears to have some other top options right now.
Christian Gass
Position: Linebacker/EDGE (6-4, 205)
High School: Covington (Ga.) Eastside
Ranking 4-star (No. 265 overall)
The blue-chip recruit in Metro Atlanta is having an SEC-heavy recruitment while USC is also throwing its hat in the ring. The Trojans, Florida, Georgia, and Kentucky all have official visits locked in with Christian Gass. Auburn is also involved.
Intel: Florida got the Peach State recruit on campus twice during the spring semester and will get the first official visits. The Gators could be the favorite entering the summer.
Dalen Penson
Position: Cornerback (5-11, 165)
High School: Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek
Ranking: 4-star (No. 163 overall)
The four-star cornerback took multiple unofficial spring visits to Georgia Tech and Kentucky. Those are currently the top two contenders in this recruiting battle. The Wildcats and Yellow Jackets both have official visits locked in with Dalen Penson. The prospect played quarterback for Sandy Creek and was a track and field state champion in the triple jump in 2023. North Carolina and Vanderbilt are also attempting to get June official visits scheduled.
Cortez Thomas
Position: Defensive Back (6-0, 170)
High School: Lexington (Miss.) Holmes County Central
Ranking: 4-star (No. 255 overall)
Kentucky got Cortez Thomas on campus in April for an unofficial visit and immediately locked in an official visit for June. Chris Collins is running point for Kentucky. Ole Miss and Mississippi State are both involved. The latter has an official visit scheduled with the in-state prospect.
Intel: Kentucky is firmly in the hunt, but getting four-star prospects out of the Magnolia State is fairly tricky. Cortez Thomas appears to be a priority recruit for new Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby, and Ole Miss has had the prospect on campus more than a handful of times.
Cedric Works
Position: EDGE (6-5, 230)
High School: Clayton (Ohio) Northmont
Ranking: 4-star (No. 143 overall)
The top-10 recruit in Ohio has locked in official visit trips with Florida, Kentucky, and Penn State. Cedric Works is a toolsy edge rusher who can win with speed and bend. The recruitment for the top 150 recruit feels wide open, and some more competition is likely to emerge throughout the summer.
Keon Young
Position: Safety (6-0, 171)
High School: Lakeland (Fla.) High
Ranking: 4-star (No. 239 overall)
The four-star safety just trimmed his list to three schools with Kentucky making the cut along with Ole Miss and USF. Keon Young visited Lexington back in the summer and is currently planning on making a final decision this summer.
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