Kentucky Recruiting Notebook: Final push into Official Visits
The spring transfer portal window has officially closed, and the last free agent recruitments are starting to slow down. Kentucky still has some work to do in the transfer market, but right now is when we see a big push in high school recruiting.
On Wednesday, Kentucky made a big splash when it beat out Michigan to secure the commitment of top-200 tailback Marquise Davis. That was a commitment that no one truly saw coming. That gives the Wildcats six pledges in the 2025 cycle and a solid foundation entering a critical period of the recruiting calendar.
Now starts the push for some more commitments. There has been heavy Kentucky buzz surrounding Martels Carter, and now we’re starting to see that commitment buzz hover around Javeon Campbell and Brody Lennon. Those two each have an official visit locked in with Kentucky.
The biggest commitment window of the season is right around the corner. In our latest Recruiting Notebook at KSR+, we are going to recap some of the most recent developments on the recruiting trail.
Kentucky locks in official visit with Dejerrian Miller
We have seen Kentucky become more active recruiting in the Greater St. Louis area since Frank Buffano became an on-field staff member. The former director of football operations at Kentucky has been active in the Show Me State and that helped lock up a commitment from three-star EDGE Caleb Redd in the class of 2024. The Wildcats are back in the area and are a top contender for a four-star receiver.
St. Louis (Mo.) Cardinal Ritter College Prep wideout Dejerrian “DJ” Miller is the No. 385 overall player in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. The rising junior recorded 66 receptions for 1,361 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. New wide receivers coach Daikiel Shorts Jr. is assisting Buffano in this recruitment and recently got an official visit locked in with the top-10 Missouri prospect.
Quintin Simmons is the only current receiver in Kentucky’s 2025 recruiting class. After losing Shamar Porter, Raymond Cottrell, and Ardell Banks to the transfer portal this spring, the Wildcats are now down to eight scholarship wideouts. The Wildcats are likely in the market for up to three wideouts in this cycle. DJ Miller is a top target along with Cameron Miller.
Kentucky is looking to record its biggest recruiting win yet in the Show Me State in this four-star recruiting battle. Miller also has an official visit locked in with Ole Miss.
Spike Sowells is an ACC priority recruit
Louisville (Ky.) Male offensive lineman Isaac “Spike” Sowells Jr. has locked in four official visits: South Carolina (May 31-June 2), Kentucky (June 7-9), Miami (June 14-16), and NC State (June 21-23). Louisville is also a factor. The recruit for the top-500 prospect still seems wide open, but multiple ACC schools are making a big push.
Confidence is high with NC State at the beginning of May with Dave Doeren‘s program getting the final official visit. Sowells is also high on Miami. The Hurricanes like where they stand with one of the top center prospects in college football.
Kentucky’s recent in-state recruiting run has been very impressive, but a couple of ACC schools are making a big push at what has been a huge University of Louisville feeder school over the years. The Wildcats will need to close strong when Sowells makes another trip to Lexington in a month.
The competition is steep, and the top-five recruit in Kentucky continues to rise up the rankings list as he recently entered the top 500 in the On3 Industry Ranking.
Kentucky will not be the pick for Tavion Wallace
Jesup (Ga.) Wayne County linebacker Tavion Wallace will not be following his older brother’s footsteps in college. The trend lines have been pointed that way for a few months.
A few days after Trevin Wallace became a third-round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers, Tavion Wallace locked in a decision date. The high four-star recruit will be choosing from Arkansas, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, and LSU on July 15. Kentucky will not get an official visit from the South Georgia prospect.
Florida State is the favorite heading into official visit season.
Clemson enters the chat for Graceson Littleton
On April 19, Tampa (Fla.) Wiregrass Ranch cornerback Graceson Littleton released his top 10 schools with Kentucky making the cut. Nine days later, Clemson hosted the top-200 recruit for an unofficial visit, and that trip ended with a scholarship offer.
Littleton’s recruitment is wide open, but Penn State has an official visit locked in with the four-star prospect, and Dabo Swinney‘s program has had its fair share of success recruiting Tampa. The Wildcats have some work to do.
We should see another list trimming coming from the defensive back prospect as schools attempt to get the prospect on campus for an official visit in June.
Bo Jackson is down to 3 schools
Kentucky was one of the first power conference schools to get involved in the recruitment of Cleveland (Ohio) Villa Angela-St. Joseph tailback Bo Jackson. However, when the 2025 prospect did not show up for Kentucky’s junior day in January it felt like this recruitment was definitely going in another direction.
Kentucky took a commitment from top-200 tailback Marquise Davis this week. Top-100 prospect Bo Jackson is now down to three schools: Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State.
Each of those blue blood programs will get an official visit from Jackson in June with a decision set to come after the visits are wrapped up in June. Ohio State could be considered the favorite, but Georgia has made Jackson a key target.
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