Perhaps more than any new hire in the entire country, Will Stein has immediately turned the tides of expectation in and around Kroger Field. Kentucky Football, one season removed from missing a bowl game and parting ways with a growingly reviled head coach, has shot up the scale of national relevancy.
With the No. 14 class in the 2027 pool according to 247Sports, Kentucky may have a real case for a preseason ranking in the season after this one by the time Stein wraps that group up completely. How far we've come in such little time, Big Blue Nation.
While No. 2 overall quarterback Jake Nawrot leads the way for that bunch - given Stein's offensive background, his success there is no surprise - Kentucky hasn't neglected the defensive side of the ball by any stretch. In fact, it's quite the opposite.
In the latest bit of exciting news, Kentucky has jumped out as the heavy favorite (per On3) to land four-star linebacker Jalaythan Mayfield. Not only does Kentucky reportedly lead his recruitment, but they're leading over the likes of Georgia, Miami, Oregon, and more.
Talk about a full-on arrival. Will Stein is a different beast on the recruiting trail, as is Mayfield on the field.
A Different Beast on the Field
Mayfield, who is also drawing significant interest from the national champion Indiana Hoosiers - an even more insane feat of Kentucky ultimately lands him - is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker who operates primarily on the outside.
What's crazier? This time last year, Kentucky wasn't even primarily involved in what was already an ongoing recruitment for Mayfield. Big names like Michigan, Tennessee, and Ohio State were making headlines on graphics for a player that seemed destined for a blue blood at the time.
Now, if he does end up Lexington, maybe that destination holds given the program's current ascent.
A Program on the Rise
Of course, Cats fans will have to wait to claim victory until Mayfield makes his actual decision. But with an official prediction logged in Kentuckyt's favor and all the momentum tipping toward the blue and white, nobody can be blamed for stoking the flames on social media.
Until the fall, we won't know exactly how a Stein-led Kentucky team operates on the gridiron, and that team won't be the one getting a recruiting bump on this level.
But I'd say Cats fans are ready to see a different product regardless. Winning on the recruiting front on a consistent basis only helps the hype.
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