Cornerback Competition Adds Intrigue to Kentucky Football Spring Practice

Brad White and Mark Stoops have consistently put one of the SEC’s best defenses on the field year after year. Big play prevention plays a significant role in the Wildcats’ success, particularly in the passing game, as Freddie Maggard pointed out earlier this week.

For the second time in three years, Kentucky is replacing a pair of starting cornerbacks who are leaving for the NFL Draft. While there’s experience on one side of the field, on the other side there is an open competition between a couple of newcomers this spring.

Andru Phillips and Maxwell Hairston will likely provide a one-two punch on an island as the field cornerbacks. Kentucky will look to a couple of big-bodies to play on the boundary, Jantzen Dunn and JQ Hardaway.

Kentucky the Right Fit for Transfer Cornerbacks

Each player is a 6-foot-2 former four-star recruit. For one individual, the move to Lexington means a little more. It’s a homecoming for Dunn, a Bowling Green native that initially chose to play for Ohio State.

“I just wanted to come home. I knew I should’ve came here in the first place,” he told BBN Tonight. “There was a lot that went into the decision though. I feel like the environment is better here and I just feel like it’s my people.”

After watching Kentucky turn cornerbacks into pros, it made the decision to return home easy for Dunn. Like Dunn, Kentucky was the runner-up in the recruitment of JQ Hardaway. The Alabama athlete began looking for a new home once his Cincinnati coaches left after his first season of college football. The Wildcats’ success with transfer portal players made it a no-brainer.

“That was a big recruiting pitch. Bossman Fat, I was a big fan of him, just to see how he transferred in from LSU and take over the program, and the program allowing guys — the big thing for me was seeing how they treat transfers,” he told KSR last week.

“I was able to come in here and I realized everyone was welcoming, like I had already been here. It’s not like I just got here. It’s more like I came in here with those guys. That was big for me because I know a couple other places that’s not always the case. Sometimes there’s a little bit of envy that comes with that, but the guys welcomed me with open arms and that was a big recruiting pitch for me.”

Handicapping the Competition

Each of the incoming cornerbacks checks the right boxes from a physical and athletic standpoint, but neither has a ton of experience at the college level. Dunn bounced back and forth between positions in the secondary over two years at Ohio State. Hardaway received some reps as a true freshman, albeit sparingly, totaling seven tackles and two for loss in 95 snaps. Despite the inexperience, Hardaway believes he can make an impact right away at UK.

“I’m just a ball player. I’m confident in myself, I like to have fun, I got kind of a swagger on the field, I would say. I’m just very comfortable. I feel like I can be myself, I don’t have to be anyone else and let my talent speak for itself,” said Hardaway.

“I love one-on-ones,” added Dunn. “That’s where I feel I can thrive in this game, in one-on-ones, being out on islands by myself and trusting my technique and my coaching.”

They will not be the only ones competing for a starting position. Four-star freshman Avery Stuart could make a splash once he arrives over the summer. Elijah Reed, Andre Stewart and even Vito Tisdale could get in on the action this spring. Even so, all eyes will be on the two new guys to see what they’re bringing to the table. If I had to pick one, it’d be Hardaway, who’s looking forward to the cornerback competition.

“It’s going to be fun,” said Hardaway. “Jantzen is a great grinder, for sure. When I was able to meet him, he had a great first impression on me. First impressions are big for me and he had a good one. I look forward to competing with him. He’s a very knowledgeable guy I’ve realized in the film room. He’s very knowledgeable.”

We’ll know more once the Wildcats take the field for spring practice March 6.