3-star tight end forces Will Stein's first miss in a big blue moon

Will Stein, almost immediately upon his hiring in Lexington, has cemented himself as an unexpected terror on the recruiting trail. In addition to outright stealing quarterback Kenny Minchey out from under Nebraska's nose for his incoming team, Stein has loudly put together one of the most impressive, come-from-behind classes for the 2027-28 season.

In the last couple of weeks specifically, it's almost felt like any and every name that comes across Kentucky's radar commits to the blue and white. Four-star guys are committing in droves, and the Cats' class of 2027 is shaping up to be the program's best in remote recent memory.

Yet, you can't win em' all, and Coach Stein and his staff unfortunately fell short in the latest bit of recruiting news on the offensive end.

Per Rivals, three-star tight end and Kentucky target Michael Nnabuife has committed to Syracuse. Alabama, NC State, and Maryland were also heavily involved

A Rare Stein Miss

This isn't to say that Stein hasn't missed on a recruit in any capacity, but the Big Blue Nation couldn't be blamed for passively expecting Kentucky to land just about anybody on their radar. Call us spoiled, but that's been the Will Stein experience thus far.

Nnabuife, if he were to have landed in Lexington, would've come equipped with a heavy, 6-foot-5 frame and enough immediate physical impact to warrant snaps right from the jump. Then again, he'd have had to compete with fellow three-star commitments Conrad Hart and Trae Proctor, both of whom are already set to head-up the tight end room with No. 2 quarterback Jake Nawrot.

The latter of which is especially notable, having chosen Kentucky over Auburn, Florida, and Florida State, exhibiting a similar, if not more nimble frame than Nnabuife. Put bluntly, the Wildcats will be more than okay in spite of this technical miss.

Options to Choose From

The Cats' duo of options at the position already may have played into why Nnabuife decided against Kentucky when the hats hit the table. The BBN should rejoice that he didn't join an SEC competitor in the process.

With Alabama out of the question in that right, this is a recruitment that should blow out of town almost as quickly as it came in. Lexington remains (mostly) unfazed, from my perspective, and Stein should once again find his rhythm on the recruiting trail in no time - truly, he hasn't even lost it.

If Kentucky Football's still somewhat new head coach has taught this fanbase anything, it's that he's firmly in control of the vision that's being realized, both now and for future teams. I think the guy has earned our trust, BBN, at least as much as he can before it comes time to take the field.

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