Taking a look at the Kentucky Football's 2011 recruiting class

By Kyle

Taking a break from spring practice, I decided to take another look at Kentucky’s three commitments for the 2011 class an break down exactly what each brings to the table.

When you think of the word “Athlete,” Jon Davis should come to mind. Able to play any one of about nine positions, the biggest problem Kentucky might have with Davis is figuring out where to play him. Many fans noticed the lack of production from the Tight End position last year, so it was a foregone conclusion that Davis would be placed there when he arrived on campus in 2011. Then Kentucky scored a commitment from heralded 2010 recruit Alex Smith who is expected to play Tight End in college, and the possibilities opened back up for Davis. The most likely destinations for the Louisville Eastern standout would still be Tight End or possibly Linebacker, depending on Kentucky’s ability to land players at other positions.

If Davis is placed at Tight End, he would immediately be the most athletic and versatile receiving option since James Whalen manned the position. His 6’3 233 pound frame is college ready, and his 4.5 second forty yard dash time would place him in the upper echelon of speedy Tight Ends in the NCAA. To be a truly effective blocker at the next level, he’ll need to add some weight and hit the strength and conditioning program hard.
If Davis is placed at Linebacker, he’ll most likely fill the role of the Strong-side linebacker position, or “Sam.” Kentucky has managed to get by with undersized players at the position in the past, but Davis’ size and athleticism would allow the Cats to plug in a big strong player without losing the speed and pass coverage skills that the smaller players have allowed.

Most recruiting services don’t have their rankings and evaluations of prospects finished yet, but Davis should be found listed under TE or ATH on just about every site. He should also rank as a four or five star player on each different publication, and may end up being the top rated prospect in the state of Kentucky when the rankings finally come out.

After losing four seniors from the 2009 team, grabbing some top shelf offensive linemen should be a priority for the 2011 class. Lexington native Darrian Miller was the first of the big guys to cast his lot with the Wildcats after receiving interest from Alabama and Tennessee. Miller presents an athletic offensive lineman with the size to man either tackle position, but the foot speed, long reach and lateral movement to excel on the left side. Standing 6’6 and weighing in at 275 pounds, Miller has the natural size to be a stand out, but an offseason or two with Strength and Conditioning coach Ray Oliver will allow him to reach his full physical potential. There has also been some speculation that Miller could get a shot to play either Defensive End or Defensive Tackle, but his long-term potential at Offensive Tackle makes that the most likely destination for him. He’s already been evaluated as a four star player by scout, and ESPNU has him listed in their list of the top 150 players in the 2011 class. It is likely that when all is said and done, Miller will be the highest rated lineman to play for Kentucky since Antonio Hall.

The commitment of Defensive Back Glen Faulkner caught most fans off-guard. Kentucky has tended to recruit the southeast states the hardest and while East St. Louis has always produced top caliber athletes, they typically end up in the Big 10 or Big 12 conferences. Tee Martin and Steve Ortermayer ventured out to the area to find some help, and found Defensive back Glen Faulkner. At first glance, most would assume Faulkner is a Safety because of his 6’2 194 pound size, but he has the change of direction skills and speed necessary to play Cornerback, and his height will allow him to match up with some of the taller receivers in the SEC. If Faulkner is put at Safety, he’ll be the early favorite to replace Winston Guy for the 2011 season. Either way he is a big pickup at a position of need for Kentucky. Expect him to be a three or four star recruit when the rankings are finalized.

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