One of the first items on Mark Stoops’ agenda in hopes of turning things around at Kentucky was keeping star players from the Bluegrass in-state.

He did that last season with heralded quarterback signee Drew Barker and pass rusher Matt Elam and is attempting to do the same with an impressive 2015 class that includes four-star verbal commit Eli Brown, one of the nation’s top outside linebackers.

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The Wildcats’ lone representative in the U.S. Army All-American Game on Jan. 3, Brown should transition quickly to Kentucky’s 3-4 set and provide instant depth (perhaps snaps) off the edge following the departure of productive rushers Bud Dupree and Za’Darius Smith.

Brown, one of two linebacker commits for 2015, pledged in April and picked Kentucky over Ohio State. The Buckeyes — along with Alabama — are also finalists for five-star tailback Damien Harris, a ballcarrier with 4.4 speed who would become the Wildcats’ top signing under Stoops.

Considering the way this season ended with six straight losses, Year 3 is very important for Stoops and continuing his program’s dominance on the the Bluegrass recruiting trail is essential.