Film Room: Mikkel Skinner

Tight end was never a true position of need for Kentucky in the 2025 high school recruiting cycle, but the Wildcats made a concerted effort to show that the program values the position. After losing a tightly contested battle to Ohio State for four-star prospect Brody Lennon, Kentucky was able to complete a flip in the Palmetto State.

Riverside (S.C.) Greer prospect Mikkel Skinner decommitted from Cincinnati on Sept. 13 and completed a flip to Kentucky on Oct. 23. The Wildcats have landed their eighth top-500 recruit this class. KSR’s Film Room is now taking a look at what Skinner could bring to the offense in Lexington.

The top 10 recruit in South Carolina is a true flex tight end with excellent ball skills. If used correctly, there is a clear place for Skinner in a productive college passing offense.

Mikkel Skinner is a ball winner

Mikkel Skinner is listed as a tight end prospect, but the 6-foot-3 and 220-pound pass catcher is used more as an X receiver on his senior high school tape. Skinner shows some physicality and tenacity as a blocker on the perimeter, but his value is at receiver.

The newest Kentucky commit is a true ball winner.

Skinner consistently shows excellent ball skills on slants and fades. The prospect has a big catch radius and gives quarterbacks a big target. Once the ball is in his hands, Skinner flashes some surprising burst and has some potential as a YAC (yards after catch) creator.

An argument can be made that Mikkel Skinner has the best receiving skill set of any tight end prospect to land at Kentucky in the Mark Stoops era.

Positional versatility

Mikkel Skinner is not a Y tight end. At the next level, you likely won’t see the 2025 prospect become a highly effective blocker in-line for a pro-style offense but he does have the skill set to thrive as an off-ball tight end. Skinner is good on the move and can make blocks in space, but his biggest value occurs as a pass catcher.

Skinner shows great ball skills on tape and has some clear positional versatility. There is a ton of potential with this prospect.

At the next level, the offensive scheme must be able to get creative with Skinner’s usage, but the playmaking is obvious. This is a versatile tight end who can make plays down the field and create after the catch. Skinner is an athletic upgrade from some of the recent recruiting wins at tight end.

The top-500 recruit has one of the highest ceilings in Kentucky’s 2025 high school recruiting class.