New coaches are dangerous on the recruiting trail. They sell hope, fresh starts, and the promise that “you’re the guy we’re building this around.” Will Stein hasn’t coached a game at Kentucky yet, but he already has his name in the middle of a serious SEC recruiting battle. Can he actually win it?
Kentucky football recruiting heats up as four star WR Kenny Darby nears decision
Four-star wide receiver Kenny Darby will announce his commitment today at 1 p.m. CT. His list is not for the timid: Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Colorado, Houston, and Kentucky. That’s as real as it gets.
4-star WR Kenny Darby will choose from Alabama, LSU, Colorado, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Kentucky and Houston on Friday for 1 pm CT, he tells @rivalshttps://t.co/ipTpWBO4vw https://t.co/G1viKEoXVI pic.twitter.com/Q2FWhiY0DF
— Sam Spiegelman (@samspiegs) December 5, 2025
Most of the buzz right now has Mississippi State in the lead. They’ve built relationships, made their case, and positioned themselves well. But anyone who has watched recruiting long enough knows one thing: momentum can flip overnight, especially when a new offensive-minded head coach is involved.
Darby is exactly the kind of player Stein wants to feature. He’s been described as a high-volume, high-production receiver who can stretch the field vertically and do damage after the catch. At 6-foot and around 175–180 pounds, he has the kind of frame that can add good weight without losing burst. Scouts rave about his one-cut and go ability and those “wow” catches along the boundary that make clips go viral.
Stein can walk into that living room and point to something simple: opportunity. Kentucky’s receiver room is young, talented, and hungry. DJ Miller, Montavin Quisenberry, Cameron Miller, Hardley Gilmore, and a wave of incoming freshmen form a strong base. What they don’t have yet is a clear, unquestioned No. 1 who can be the engine of the passing game.
Darby could walk into Lexington and compete for that role immediately.
If Kentucky wins this battle, it’s not just another four-star commit. It’s a statement that Stein and his staff can step into the deep end of SEC recruiting and land a premier weapon against programs with bigger brands and longer track records.
If Mississippi State closes it out, it won’t be a failure for Kentucky. It will just be the first warning shot: the Wildcats are going to be in more of these fights.
But if Darby picks Kentucky today?
That’s the kind of surprise that turns heads across the league and tells everyone Will Stein didn’t come to Lexington to play it safe.