Enormous OT Jermiel Atkins Commits to Kentucky

The Big Blue Wall got a whole bigger on the Fourth of July. Jermiel Atkins celebrated our nation’s Independence by announcing his commitment to Kentucky.

The 6-foot-8, 270-pound offensive tackle from Dayton Trotwood-Madison was recruited by Vince Marrow and Eric Wolford. Arizona State, Minnesota, and Virginia Tech hosted Atkins for official visits this summer before he ultimately chose to play for the Wildcats.

Wolford and Marrow cast a wide net in the spring while recruiting offensive linemen. Atkins was eager to prove himself when he arrived in Lexington to camp with the Kentucky coaches in person. Shortly after working out with the coaching staff, he returned for an official visit and both parties were sold. A three-star talent, he’s a Top 50 offensive tackle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services.

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Prior to Wolford’s return, Kentucky repeatedly swung and missed on offensive tackle prospects. The Cats signed just one high school player at the position over the previous two cycles. That is unsustainable.

Atkins is the third offensive tackle to join the Wildcats’ 2025 recruiting class. He’ll compete alongside Darrin Strey, a top 500 talent from Michigan, and Bryan Auguste, a three-star South Florida prospect. Kentucky is up to 17 commitments in this recruiting cycle, seven of which are from the state of Ohio.

He’s not as new to the game of football as Javeon Campbell, but Atkins is still relatively green. Growing up, he spent most of his time playing sports on the hardwood. When he started high school, his coaches at Trotwood-Madison convinced him to give football a try. After all, 6-foot-8 offensive tackles are more valuable than 6-foot-8 power forwards.

Years of basketball laid a solid footwork foundation for Atkins. Even though he’s listed at 270, he’s probably closer to 285 pounds. He has great length, a necessary tool to prevent opponents from creating separation. Atkins appears to be comfortable in pass protection. It’s Wolford’s job to pull the physicality out of this high-ceiling prospect at the point of attack in the run game.

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