'24 ATH Elijah Groves down to three schools, decision coming Saturday

Another Kentucky football target is nearing a final decision.

Elijah Groves, a three-star athlete out of Cross Plains (TN) East Robertson, announced on social media over the weekend that he is down to just three finalists: Kentucky, NC State, and Purdue. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound rising senior also intends to announce his commitment on Saturday, July 1. Groves is not ranked by the On3 Industry Ranking but is considered a three-star talent by both 247Sports and Rivals.

Groves has taken trips to all three schools during the month of June, using official visits on Purdue (June 2-4) and most recently NC State (June 23-25). While he did not officially visit Kentucky, he did take an unofficial visit to Lexington in early June (June 8) and told KSR at the time he was planning to use that OV sometime during the fall.

@er_football pic.twitter.com/BlcWMiZ1qx

— Elijah Groves (@ElijahGroves6) June 26, 2023

It wasn’t until this spring that Groves’ recruitment really began to blow up. Kentucky offered him a scholarship back on May 2, right before Purdue (May 3) and NC State (May 10) did the same. The likes of Virginia Tech and Memphis have also reached out with offers. Defensive coordinator Brad White has been helping lead this recruitment on Kentucky’s side.

With five days separating Groves from a decision, the sense is that Kentucky and NC State hold the inside edge as we enter the final stretch. If you’re someone who likes to read into social media posts, Groves bumped up his initial commitment date (August 25) to July 1 on the same day that he began his unofficial visit to UK.

Groves, who doubles as a star basketball player and track and field performer for East Robertson, can play multiple positions all over the gridiron. Possessing a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Groves split time at receiver, linebacker, and safety while also returning kicks during his junior season in 2022.

Along with Groves, a handful of Kentucky targets expect to announce their college decision in the very near future. Notably, four-star DL Dominic Kirks and three-star EDGE Makai Byerson will commit on Friday, June 30. The Wildcats currently have nine recruits pledged to the 2024 class.