Kentucky Wildcats Football: Pre-Dead Period Recruiting Update

Oct 12, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Javess Blue (8) celebrates with center Max Godby(64) after he scores a touch down against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Commonwealth Stadium. Alabama defeated Kentucky 48-7. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

It’s crootin’ season again for Kentucky football. Without a bowl game to prepare for, the coaches have nothing to do but watch tape and recruit future Wildcats.

By all accounts the staff has been criss-crossing most of the country east of the Mississippi River, hitting the South and talent-rich Ohio hard.  Most of the focus has been on the 2015 class but this year’s crop isn’t done yet either. Signing Day 2014 doesn’t promise to be as exciting as last year’s, due mostly to the class being nearly full before the season even began, but there will be some buzz. With at least four open spots, there are at least two big announcements UK fans will be anxious to see, and some new names are sure to pop up between now and February. So with no further ado, here is this week’s recruiting update.

-It’s a big week in the Matt Elam sweepstakes. Nick Saban was in Monday, Brian Kelly should be there today and Mark Stoops will visit Elam tomorrow before Elam comes to Lexington this weekend with the rest of the 2014 class for their official visits. The staff will need to sell camaraderie and Kentucky’s future to Elam, he’s been to UK so many times there is no need to have any tours. It will be Elam’s last visit before the recruiting dead period starts and he announces his decision at the Army All-American game.

– The other big name (and big guy) on Kentucky’s board right now is Guard Marcelys Jones, who took his official visit this past weekend. All reports say that Jones enjoyed himself and that Kentucky will be a real factor in this. There has been no further clarification on whether Jones really signed financial aid paperwork with Kentucky, but he has an OV with Ohio State this week and he is an early enrollee, so it won’t take long to see which school he enrolls at.

-A new name for 2014 is Ole Miss linebacker commit Demarquis Gates, a 4* prospect. Gates isn’t exactly a new name, as the coaches have been recruiting him all year, but he certainly has been off the radar. Josh Edwards has been in touch with Gates and has reported that he will be taking an official visit to Lexington in January. Helping the Cats’ cause is teammate Montrell Custis, Kentucky’s only public 2015 commitment at this time. He has reportedly been in Gates’ ear already.

-It looks like Dominique Booth and Kentucky isn’t likely to happen. After some intial interest by both sides it seems that Booth is focusing on Indiana, Rutgers and South Florida. Not sure what the situation is but judging by some of the programs that Booth seems to have turned down, there might be something going on behind the scenes. Not grades though, Booth plans on enrolling early.

-Someone made a good point that you may want to watch. If Nick Saban were to take the Texas job, it will most likely cause chaos across the college football coaching landscape. That chaos could very well benefit UK. There are no fewer than three players Kentucky is still actively competing with Alabama for (Elam, Jones, and Kief) and a Saban defection could quickly influence one of them, especially if Kirby Smart left Tuscaloosa as well.

-The commonwealth looks to have a banner year for football talent in 2015, if there was a time for Mark Stoops and company to own the state, it’ll be next year’s class. A number of Kentucky prospects already hold major offers, including from the Wildcats. At least eight come to mind, with the prizes being Elijah Sindelar (QB), Reese Ryan (QB), Eli Brown (LB), Emmitt Smith (LB) and Damien Harris (RB). Harris is the top prize but is already committed to his dream school, the Michigan Wolverines. Kentucky has offered a handful of in state offensive linemen and will be evaluating others. Some names looking to follow Adrian Middleton (2014) in coming from relative obscurity to earn an offer include: DL/LB Darrian Scott, WR Mikal Ballard, LB Ramone Kelly, RB Donald Brooks, DE Sean Hammonds, and QB Brennan Kuntz.