Kentucky’s roster-building news this fall isn’t limited to practice, the recruiting board is alive, noisy and changing fast. A couple of late misses (Cole Cloer trimmed his list without the Cats) sit alongside a stack of major visits and mounting momentum for elite targets, including No. 1 prospect Tyran Stokes. Here’s what to know and why it matters for Mark Pope’s program.
Cloer cuts his list and Kentucky isn’t on it
Cole Cloer trimmed his finalists to five schools
- Alabama
- Florida
- North Carolina
- NC State
- UCONN
Kentucky did not make the cut. UK’s late entry into the Cloer sweepstakes looked promising to some, but the offer and effort came too late to change his thinking.
Why it matters: Cloer is a high-floor wing who would’ve helped perimeter scoring and length. Missing here stings, but Cloer wasn’t the only top name in play this fall.
Big visits landing in Lexington (and some moved up)
Kentucky’s calendar is stacked with prospects actually coming through and that’s the most actionable thing on the recruiting board.
Jason Gardner Jr. (Class of 2027, 4-star PG) is scheduled to visit Lexington on Oct. 18, a sign UK is cultivating long-term ties with a potential lead-guard recruit according to A Sea of Blue.
Christian Collins (5-star, 2026) moved up his official visit to Kentucky to this weekend, giving UK an earlier face-to-face window than expected. While moving up is sometimes a good thing, it could also be bad. If the player falls in love with another campus, it will be the last one they visit and if you were early in, it could be a downside.
Anthony Thompson (5-star, 2026) is also on campus for an official visit this week; Kentucky continues to be a serious contender in that recruitment. He will be leaving campus right before Christian Collins comes in.
Why it matters: Official visits create momentum. When multiple top targets hit Lexington in the same window, it increases UK’s odds of landing at least one big name, and it lets coaches sell fit, role and culture in person.
Jordan Smith Jr. remains very much in the mix
Five-star Jordan Smith Jr. named Kentucky among his final six (Arkansas, Duke, Georgetown, Indiana, Kentucky, Syracuse). That keeps UK alive for a combo guard who could impact scoring and defense at multiple spots. That is always a good thing to have especially in such a high powered offensive system like Mark Pope's.
Tyran Stokes: Kentucky and Kansas among the favorites
Tyran Stokes, the consensus No. 1 prospect in 2026, continues to draw heavyweight chatter. Recent recruiting rundowns show a two-way race that includes Kansas and Kentucky (Louisville’s chances have cooled in recent updates). If Stokes shifts toward Lexington, it would be a program-changing commitment. He would be the first number 1 recruit to commit and play for Kentucky since Nerlens Noel. Shaedon Sharpe committed but as you all remember, never played for Kentucky.
Why it matters: Landing a top-ranked prospect like Stokes would be a seismic moment for UK recruiting under Mark Pope, and a dagger to Louisville. Even being in the final two or three signals national relevance to other targets. And for those who say Pope can't recruit, it is a sign they are clearly wrong.
Taylen Kinney and the late-September decisions
Taylen Kinney, another top guard tied to Kentucky early, is widely reported to be closing his recruitment soon, with multiple outlets projecting Kansas as the likely landing spot (decision timeline has been pegged for late September). Kentucky and Louisville remain on the board, but recent signals favor Kansas even though Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey almost fought in Kinney's driveway. Guess neither one impressed enough on the visit.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoyes downtime with his family and Premier League soccer.You can find him on X here.Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion