Recapping Kentucky Wildcats 2012 Football Recruiting Class

Signing day is officially over and the 2012 class looks to be complete. Here are some of my thoughts on each player in the class.

Daron Blaylock – DB – 6’1 / 215 – Marietta, GA
He may be listed as a defensive back by UK, but Daron is a linebacker all the way. He’s got SEC speed for a player his size and could eventually settle in playing either of the linebacker positions for UK or the safety/linebacker hybrid spot Winston Guy manned this past year. I think he’s one of the most underrated players in Kentucky’s class.

Shawn Blaylock – DB – 5’10 / 166 – Lithonia, GA
Kentucky really needed some help at cornerback and Shawn was one of the team’s first commitments at the position. There’s a chance he could play as a true freshman to provide depth and help jumpstart the return game, but I think a redshirt year would serve him well as he could add some much needed strength to his frame.

Zack Blaylock – DB – 6’0 / 188 – Marietta, GA
The smaller of the Blaylock twins, Zach is a little more explosive than his brother and figures to find a home at safety. With the available playing time at the position, I would think Zack is very likely to see the field this fall, if only as a special teams player. While Kentucky certainly signed higher profile recruits, I would rank Zack in my top five as far as ability and importance to this class.

Kory Brown – DB – 6’0 / 208 – Moncks Corner, SC
Brown has already enrolled at Kentucky and will participate in spring practices. As a junior college transfer, he’ll have three seasons of eligibility starting this year and is expected to compete for the safety/linebacker hybrid position.

Thomas Chapman – DT – 6’4 / 285 – Louisville, KY
As one of Kentucky’s first commitments, it’s easy to forget about Chapman and how talented he really is. He’s a guy that is an athletic 285 and can help the defense in multiple ways. He could come in and play on the exterior of the defensive line as a jumbo end right now, or he could add some weight and strength and eventually be the nose tackle Kentucky needs in their three-man front. He is a big time pickup for the Cats.

Landon Foster – K/P – 6’1 / 198 – Thompson Station, TN
Kentucky has been lucky enough to have had a string of great punters and it appears Foster might be next in line. He has a big-time leg and is considered a top-10 specialist nationally by some sites.

Patrick Graffree – DT – 6’4 / 270 – Elizabethtown, KY
It’s impossible not to love Graffree. For those who have never talked to him, he is one of the most engaging and interesting players I’ve ever spoken to. He exudes confidence and could honestly be the steal of the class for UK. Like Chapman, he could actually play today if needed, but a redshirt season and plenty of time in the weight room and at the buffet line will do him well. As long as he can maintain his explosiveness and strength, he could be the next guy we talk about as the ‘GEM’ of the class.

Josh Harris – DB – 6’0 / 191 – Maysville, KY
Similar to Chapman, Harris committed to UK early and there hasn’t been much news about him since. An injury early this year ended his senior season abruptly, but that doesn’t make him any less of a pickup. He’s so athletic that he’s listed as a running back by scout, a defensive back by rivals, a linebacker by ESPN, and an Athlete by 247Sports.

Khalid Henderson – LB – 6’0 / 213 – Mableton, GA
There might not be a player that more fans were awaiting a LOI from than Henderson. He’s a talented linebacker with defensive back-like speed. He plays just like Danny Trevathan and could actually pull off the same look if he could grow his dreads out just a little longer. A former Tennessee commitment, Henderson should challenge for playing time at linebacker right away when he arrives in Lexington.

T.J. Jones – OL – 6’6 / 290 – Myrtle Beach, SC
Jones is by far the least celebrated of Kentucky’s offensive linemen and I’m not exactly sure why. He’s raw, but he has great length and great size for an incoming freshman and he is surprisingly mobile for a player his size. A redshirt season would do him some good, but with Kentucky’s need for offensive tackles, he could also play this year.

A.J. Legree – WR – 6’1 / 178 – Ft. White, FL
It’s hard to talk about Legree without mentioning how ridiculously athletic the guy is. He can jump with the best of them and is a surprisingly smooth runner. With the need Kentucky currently has at receiver, don’t be surprised if Legree suits up this fall. Once you’ve taken on the best high school talent in Florida, the SEC isn’t quite as daunting considering half the conference is from the state.

Dyshawn Mobley – RB – 5’11 / 205 – Powell, TN
While many fans were paying all of their attention to Anthony Wales, I’Tavius Mathers, Shadrach Thorton, and other backs on Kentucky’s board, Mobley snuck in there and grabbed one of the spots the Cats had planned on using for a running back. He’s a big, powerful runner who can punish opponents between the tackles and grind the tempo of the game down if Kentucky needs to. He is THE most underrated player in this class in my opinion.

Zach Myers – OL – 6’3 / 285 – Miamisburg, OH
Kentucky needs bodies on the offensive line and Myers will provide them just that. He’s probably destined for the interior at guard or center and he really has the skill set to play any of the three positions. Myers is strong enough to play right away, but he’ll probably need a redshirt season to get bigger and refine his technique.

Langston Newton – DE – 6’4 / 254 – Carmel, IN
Most Kentucky fans know Langston as Morgan Newton’s little brother, but that would actually be incorrect. Technically, Langston is Morgan’s BIG brother and outweighs his sibling by almost 20 pounds. Langston is an accomplished athlete in his own right and should give Kentucky some much needed help at defensive end. While he weighs 254 pounds now, Langston is a lean athlete and could probably carry an additional 20-30 pounds without losing much in the way of explosiveness and speed.

Cody Quinn – DB – 5’10 / 163 – Middleton, OH
Quinn is one of many defensive back recruits that Kentucky inked today and it looks like his future is at cornerback. He has good enough height for a corner now, but could probably stand to add about 15-20 pounds to his frame before he is taking on SEC receivers. While a redshirt season would certainly do him some good, lack of depth at cornerback might force him onto the field early.

Jonathan Reed – DB – 5’9 / 185 – Indianapolis, IN
Kentucky doesn’t often get defensive backs with the type of speed Reed possesses. He’s been clocked at times south of 4.4 seconds in the forty-yard dash and has a ready-to-play frame to match. Reed bears a striking resemblance to former Kentucky great Randall Cobb, so if he can just have a Cobb-like impact on the field, the Cats will have gotten a major steal.

Demarcus Sweat – WR – 6’1 / 192 – Lithonia, GA
Kentucky needed wide receivers and got a good one in Sweat. Its funny how much all the recruiting gurus talked about how good Sweat was this past season, yet he remained only a three star player or lower in all four main player databases. There’s no doubt that Sweat is raw, but he has the size and speed to be a gamebreaker for the Cats. Look for him to contribute early as a return man.

Jordan Swindle – OL – 6’7 / 310 – St. John’s, FL
There’s no bigger member of the 2012 class than Swindle…literally. At 6’7 and 310 pounds, Swindle has the type of body needed to play right away in the SEC. Kentucky’s lack of depth at tackle also means he might get his shot. While it will be tough for him to nail down a starting spot as a true freshman, I would expect that Swindle will give the upperclassmen a run for their money in camp this summer and could be a top backup despite his inexperience.

Justin Taylor – RB – 5’10 / 200 – Atlanta, GA
Definitely the ‘surprise’ of signing day this year, Taylor is a really good get. He’s a very balanced back that can do a little bit of everything. Taylor was considered one of the premier junior running backs in the country last year, but a knee injury dropped his stock some and he chose Kentucky after Alabama told him he’d have to greyshirt if he wanted to remain committed to them. While running back wasn’t necessarily a ‘NEED’ position, Taylor is a great pickup nonetheless and as Kentucky found out this year, you can never have enough healthy backs.

Fred Tiller – DB – 6’0 / 180 – Homerville, GA
Tiller is an athlete in every sense of the word, but it sounds like Rick Minter and defensive backs coach Mike Cassity have no intentions of letting the offense have him. Tiller has the height and speed to be an impact cornerback from day one and could very well get his shot. With a lack of depth at the position, it’s not out of the question for Tiller to play as a freshman. Actually, I think he has a chance to start. (You heard it here first).

Kadeem Thomas – LB – 6’0 / 225 – Tallahassee, FL
Affectionately known as “Pancho,” Thomas continues the tradition of Kentucky recruits with random-ass nicknames. Seriously though, losing both of the starting inside linebackers from the 2011 defense will be a tough pill for the Wildcats to swallow and Thomas should be able to help provide immediate depth for the team.

Jon Toth – OL – 6’5 / 290 – Indianapolis, IN
With the need for offensive linemen, Toth is a major steal for the Cats. He has the versatility to play guard or tackle and could fill the swingman role that Jake Lanefski played this year. Toth could probably use a redshirt year (like most offensive linemen), but he absolutely could play for Kentucky if needed.

Patrick Towles – QB – 6’4 / 242 – Ft. Thomas, KY
The 2012 class will probably be remembered as Towles’ class and that’s the way it is when you’re a stud quarterback. Patrick has an NFL body right now and has the arm to match. I’m extremely hesitant to ever peg a true freshman as a contender to start at quarterback, but Towles has all the tools you look for. He is the prize of the class.

Jordan Watson – OL – 6’4 / 315 – Fayetteville, GA
I’ve mentioned several times how desperate the need for bodies on the offensive line is, and Watson might be the prize of the 2012 class in terms of the big guys. He has the type of size and strength necessary to play right away and the opportunity for playing time should be there. With Stuart Hines’ graduation, the upperclassmen hoping to take over his starting guard position better be on their toes, because Watson will undoubtedly give them a run for their money.

Jalen Whitlow – ATH – 6’2 / 210 – Prattville, AL
It was a little surprising to hear that Kentucky was targeting a second quarterback in this class. With Towles already in the fold, Whitlow seemed like a luxury. Then when you actually watch the tape of Whitlow, it becomes all too clear. This guy is an athletic freak that can play just about any position he wants to. With an obvious need at receiver, I would bet Whitlow eventually sticks there.

Sterling Wright – DB – 5’11 / 201 – Miami, FL
Wright was a last minute addition to the roster and is expected to come in and compete with the safeties. He’s got pretty good size for the position, and is a year older after having spent a year in prep school. With playing time in the defensive backfield abundant, don’t be surprised if Wright is playing as a true freshman, even if it’s only ono special teams.