Kentucky adds depth to defense, offensive line with 2015 class

The Kentucky Wildcats enjoyed a successful National Signing Day in the Bluegrass, adding 17 signees to its four early enrollees already added to the class.

Take a look at the class as it stands on Wednesday:

• C.J. Conrad, TE, four-star, Lagrange, Ohio (early enrollee)
• Jordan James, OLB, three-star, Youngstown, Ohio (early enrollee)
• George Asafo-Adjei, OT, three-star, West Chester, Ohio (early enrollee)
• Kengera Daniel, DE, three-star, Raleigh, N.C. (early enrollee)
• Eli Brown, OLB, four-star, Bowling Green, Ky.
• Courtney Miggins, DT, three-star, Poplarville, Miss. (Pearl River Community College)
• Marcus Walker, S, three-star, Lake Wales, Fla.
• Jabari Greenwood, WR, three-star, Washington, D.C.
• Kel Beckham, CB, three-star, Dayton, Ohio
• Logan Stenberg, OT, three-star, Madison, Ala.
• Levon Livingston, OT, three-star, Washington, D.C.
• Tavin Richardson, WR, three-star, Duncan, S.C.
• Chris Westry, CB, three-star, Orange Park, Fla.
• Sihiem King, ATH, three-star, Moultrie, Ga.
• Derrick Baity, CB, three-star, Tampa, Fla.
• Therrell Gosier, WR, three-star, Pompano Beach, Fla.
• Javon Provitt, DT, three-star, Warren, Ohio
• Mason Wolfe, OG, three-star, Henderson, Ky.
• Joshua Allen, DE, two-star, Montclair, N.J.
• William Jackson, ATH, two-star, Washington, D.C.
• Alvonte Bell, DE, two-star, Poplarville, Miss.

STACKING THE DEFENSE

Among the 21 prospects listed above, 12 play on the defensive side of the ball, a unit head coach Mark Stoops is familiar with as a former defensive coordinator himself. The Cats added five defensive linemen, three of which are three-star recruits, and those prospects should help supplement a defensive line that had to bid farewell to standout defensive ends Bud Dupree and Za’Darius Smith

Kentucky also added four-star in-state outside linebacker Eli Brown, ranked as the No. 2 player from the commonwealth of Kentucky behind five-star tailback and Alabama commit Damien Harris.

REGIONAL SUCCESS

Brown is one of two prospects from the commonwealth of Kentucky to commit to the Wildcats, the other being Wolfe, the No. 8 prospect from the state.

Where Kentucky really succeeded was in Ohio, the state that borders it to the north. Stoops is a Youngstown, Ohio, native has strong ties to the state, and he added five Ohio natives to the 2015 class. Conrad is the cream of the crop, but all five rank among the top 50 prospects from the state known as one of the better high school football territories in America.

ADDING O-LINE, WIDEOUT DEPTH

Kentucky hauled in four offensive linemen in this class, including three offensive tackles. Kentucky lost four-year starting left tackle Darrian Miller after last season, and those prospects, including early enrollee George Asafo-Adjei should help make up for that loss.

The Wildcats also added three wide receivers and two athletes to its Air Raid offense one year after signing five of the top 100 wideout prospects in the 2014 recruiting class.

A LATE PUSH

The Wildcats added five players to their 2015 recruiting class who weren’t committed to Kentucky as of Tuesday morning, including two signing day flips.

UK flipped Gosier from Miami (Fla.) and Jackson from Western Michigan on signing day, providing even more depth to the class even though neither player is a household name. Kentucky also signed previously uncommitted prospects Baity and King on Wednesday.

One of its best moves of the day came in the form of Miggins commitment to the Wildcats. The three-star defensive tackle who starred in Mississippi’s junior college league last season was seen as a heavy favorite to land with SEC rival Mississippi State, but instead wound up at UK.

PRCC DT Courtney Miggins signs with Kentucky. That comes as a surprise. Looked like MSU was in good shape there.

— Riley Blevins (@Riley_Blevins) February 4, 2015

Miggins and former Pear River Community College teammate Bell are both seen as promising prospects in this year’s class.

Stoops says JUCO transfers Alvonte Bell and Courtney Miggins are “difference makers” on the defensive line.

— Brett Dawson (@BDawsonWrites) February 4, 2015

The Wildcats late rally on the recruiting trail was critical in its efforts to overcome a string of decommitments last week, including brothers David and Andrew Dowell, a four-star safety and three-star tailback, respectively.

NOTE: Kentucky also added a pair of transfers from Nebraska in LB Courtney Love and TE Greg Hart

Ethan Levine

A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.