'23 OT Oluwatosin Babalade hears from Kentucky as stock rises

The Kentucky Football staff has been dolling out scholarship offers left and right over the last few weeks, searching for future Wildcats from the deep south all the way up to the northeast. One of those prospects is Oluwatosin “Tosin” Babalade, who earned an offer from new offensive line coach Zach Yenser last week on May 4.

Babalade is a fast-rising offensive tackle out of DeMatha Catholic (MD) who has seen his stock blow up over the last few months. His very first offer came from the home state school, Maryland, back in June 2021, but he didn’t begin to gain steam until the end of the year. Since 2022 began, Babalade has added offers from the likes of Miami (FL), Ole Miss, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisville, Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan, and Florida, among plenty others.

Blessed to receive an offer from the university of Kentucky!!!!🔵⚪️@OL_Coach_Yenser @RivalsFriedman @CraigHaubert @ChadSimmons_ @tanksdaman2 pic.twitter.com/3RgaoJggVq

— Oluwatosin Babalade (@_Bigtree23) May 4, 2022

Clocking in at 6-foot-4, 285-pounds, Babalade is considered a three-star recruit and the No. 521 overall junior by the On3 Consensus. However, On3’s individual rankings system is much higher on the lineman, tabbing him as a four-star and the No. 175 overall recruit in the country. Ahead of the 2021 season, he switched from primarily playing defensive end and tight end to the offensive line, which has clearly paid off in the eyes of college coaches.

Babalade spoke with KSR on Monday to briefly update us on his recruitment.

As of right now, the Hyattsville, MD product has an official visit set up to North Carolina for May 20. Additionally, he’ll also take official visits sometime this summer to Rutgers and South Carolina. He’s already been to all three spots earlier in the spring. For right now, that’s all he has planned.

“They’re the ones that have been there since day one, being in contact with me, reaching out. I’ve just been getting love and I feel comfortable with those three,” Babalade told KSR.

Kentucky was able to get him in Lexington during the spring for a quick visit. When the offer came in last week, Babalade said wasn’t expecting it, admitting he thought Yenser was simply checking in. Getting him back on campus for an official visit would be a huge step, although it’s to be determined if that will happen. He said his still-growing relationship with Kentucky right now is “okay, we’re good.”

Babalade hopes to release a list of his top schools in the near future and could potentially commit in July. Kentucky has some ground to make up if they want to make a run, but considering his quick ascension in the recruiting world, the ‘Cats realistically aren’t too far behind.