First Down Kentucky: Keeshawn Silver and Eye-Opening Recruiting Notes

The late addition of Dennious Jackson has us paying a little closer attention to the 2024 Kentucky defensive line. The player who is expected to start ahead of Jackson at nose guard for the Wildcats is Keeshawn Silver, who slid under the limelight last year, despite being a former five-star who started in 11 games.

Silver spent the Fourth of July holiday back home in North Carolina where he put on a youth football camp. He told WRAL that it’s important for young people to have older male role models like himself because he was once without one. Silver was raised by his grandmother after his mother passed away from cancer when he was nine. It’s fueled him to push through adversity to succeed.

“I live by ‘everything happens for a reason.’ Her passing motivated me to be the man I am now,” Silver said.

Entering his fourth season of college football, Silver believes we have yet to see him at his best. That’s on deck this fall.

“I’m pushing myself as hard as I can. I’m pushing myself over the limit. This year’s going to be a good year for me. I’m praying on it and I’m betting on myself.”

It wasn't easy for @keeshawn__ to leave his dream school #UNC, but he's found a fit at @UKFootball . This summer he proved he hasn't forgotten where he's from. He's giving back to Rocky Mount and has a powerful reason why. Full story on @wralsportsfan https://t.co/IP792x28L3 pic.twitter.com/3TObyQOeNb

— Pat Welter WRAL (@PatrickWelter) July 6, 2024

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Guess Florida’s Recruiting Ranking

Remember when Florida fans got out their torches and pitchforks to fire Dan Mullen because he wasn’t recruiting up to the Gator standard? He was out only a year after guiding the Gators to the SEC Championship Game. Now his successor is stumbling ahead of his third season in Gainesville.

Following a busy Fourth of July recruiting weekend, the dust has settled and the recruiting rankings will be stagnant for the foreseeable future. I don’t believe Florida fans are giving Billy Napier a pat on the back for being ranked outside of the Top 50 in the national recruiting rankings.

Florida ranks No. 56 in the On3 Industry Team Rankings. Vanderbilt is the only SEC team ranked behind Florida. Indiana and Virginia have put together better classes so far than the Gators. It’s not exactly a recipe for success as Napier sits on a very hot seat with the most difficult schedule in the country on tap this fall.

An Unusual Recruitment

Florida’s rival has no problem recruiting. Even if the guy spent his career on the hardwood, the Dawgs have a way of finding their guy.

Jahzare Jackson played hoops in Atlanta at OTE. Listed anywhere from 6-foot-9 to 6-foot-11, when the NBA Draft didn’t work out, he decided to take his talents back to the gridiron. Jackson seemed to grow out of the sport, but now he’s going to give it another shot on the Georgia offensive line. If Kirby Smart sees something in this guy, I have a feeling things will work out just fine for him.

Talking Season will not be kind to the Kentucky Offense

One week from today, KSR will be in Dallas for SEC Media Days. Frankly, I’m stoked. What I’m not looking forward to is defending the Kentucky offense.

Following the exciting 2021 campaign that featured a ton of explosiveness with Will Levis and Wan’Dale Robinson, the Kentucky offense curried favor among the talking heads. The last two seasons took away that benefit of the doubt. As you will see throughout Talking Season, most pundits will cast doubt on Bush Hamdan and Brock Vandagriff. SEC Mike was the first to step up to the plate, and as usual, he delivered the spiciest QB Take on the market.

2024 SEC QB Rankings pic.twitter.com/nUm6aanmrw

— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) July 6, 2024

A Closer Look at College Football ’25

If you’re not ready to dive headfirst into Talking Season, it will be Playing Season soon enough. The release of College Football 25 is only 11 days away and on Monday morning we got our first detailed look at how the actual game will be played with a little help from Michigan running back Donovan Edwards.

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