2025 3-Star CB Demarcus Gardner on Kentucky Commitment: 'It's a Better Fit'

2025 three-star cornerback Demarcus Gardner is committing to Kentucky and plans to enroll in early January, he tells KSR+. He is flipping his commitment from UCF after his recent official visit to UK.

“I love the coaches. The facility caught my eye and I feel like it’s a better fit for me,” Gardner said. “What stood out most to me [on my visit] is that the coaches actually care about the players.”

Gardner, a 6-foot, 165-pound cornerback from Cedartown (GA) believes he fits great in the Kentucky scheme. He said his greatest strengths are his “ball skills and ability to attack the ball.”

Connecting with Another Kentucky Commit

Before even leaving for his Kentucky official visit, Demarcus Gardner’s parents started connecting with the parents of another (future) Kentucky commit. Gardner’s parents and the parents of three-star cornerback Andrew Purcell started talking.

“After we got on the plane, we clicked,” Gardner said. “We started talking, we got to the hotel, and it was on from there. We just clicked.”

Purcell, for his part, said similar things. They hit it off on the visit.

“I was mainly with him and we had that bond going,” Purcell told KSR+.

Outside of Purcell, Gardner doesn’t know too many other players in Kentucky’s 2025 recruiting class. He’s excited to get to know the rest of them.

Demarcus Gardner’s Game

Three-star athlete Demarcus Gardner of Cedartown (GA) is the nation’s No. 655 overall prospect, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. On3 ranks Gardner as the No. 21 athlete and the No. 50 best player in Georgia.

Moving forward, Gardner is focused on improving his eyes and vision. It’s important as he pursues a lofty goal.

“I’m going to put in work and be able to get an invite to the [NFL] draft combine,” he said.

Gardner wants to let the Kentucky fans know that he’s a versatile player who can play all over the field. He’s also ready to win.

“I don’t plan on losing when I get there,” he said.