Assessing Kentucky’s 2016 recruiting class entering this summer

The Wildcats landed a 16th member of the 2016 recruiting class before June. Considering UK secured 22 signees on National Signing Day in February, that’s quite a head start.

Assuming Kentucky manages to retain all of those verbal commitments, the team can focus its efforts on filling some needs as well as targeting some high-end players in an attempt to add a few more four-star guys.

Coach Mark Stoops and company already have received pledges from three cornerbacks and three offensive linemen — including the three best players already committed in Drake Jackson, Landon Young and Jordan Griffin.

The current iteration of Kentucky football is stock full of young skill players and some decent young quarterbacks, so it’s imperative that the team improve its offensive line as soon as possible. UK is on track to do just that with the ’16 class.

Three-star athlete A.J. Rose (Cleveland, Ohio), rated just behind the aforementioned trio, would be a great fit for Kentucky’s Air Raid offense as a versatile runner and pass-catcher, but Ohio State has shown interest in him as a defensive back as well.

ASSESSING KENTUCKY’S 2016 CLASS

Current commits or enrollees: 16 (avg. star 3.1; last year: 3.0)
Current big-name targets: ILB Kash Daniel, OLB Ethan Tucky, OT Darius Harper
Biggest positions of need: OL, CB and LB
National/SEC rank: 9/4

NOTABLE COMMITS

Christopher Smith

An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.