How Kentucky football's 2025 commits performed during Week 5
Another week of high school football is in the books. How did Mark Stoops‘ upcoming recruiting class look on the gridiron? Let’s find out together.
All 17 of Kentucky’s class of 2025 commits (ranked No. 23 in the country by On3) were in action over the last few days. Several of them stood out, headlined by QB Stone Saunders tying a major state record up in Pennsylvania. Other standout performers from Week 5 action include EDGE Cedric Works, RB Marquise Davis, CB Andrew Purcell, CB Demarcus Gardner, WR Preston Bowman, and QB Brennen Ward.
Dive in below to learn more about how all 17 future Wildcats played this past week. But before you do, let’s quickly hear from our loyal sponsor.
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How Kentucky commits performed in Week 5
*Player rankings courtesy of the On3 Industry Ranking*
Cedric Works (EDGE) 6-5, 230 | Frederick Douglass (Dayton, OH)
4-star: No. 147 overall, No. 18 EDGE
- Cedric Works and No. 11 Frederick Douglass moved to 3-2 on the season following a big-time 35-14 win over No. 5 Corbin (KY). Works finished with five tackles on the night, one of them unassisted. Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White was in attendance to see his future Wildcat in action.
Javeon Campbell (DL) 6-5, 260 | Western Hills (Frankfort, KY)
4-star: No. 154 overall, No. 15 DL
- Javeon Campbell and Western Hills (4-0) came off a bye week by shutting out Morgan County (KY) 47-0. Statistics were not made available, but Western Hills has had little issue taking care of its schedule so far this season. Campbell’s team has outscored opponents 185-19 through four games. It’ll be another month before the Wolverines face a quality opponent when No. 12 Franklin County comes to town on Oct. 25.
Martels Carter Jr. (S) 6-1, 185 | Paducah Tilghman (Paducah, KY)
4-star: No. 173 overall, No. 15 S
- It was another easy week for Martels Carter Jr. and No. 2 Paducah Tilghman (5-0), which beat Hopkinsville (KY) 56-0. Carter did not play, however, but he wasn’t needed in what was the Blue Tornado’s first shutout win of the season.
Marquise Davis (RB) 5-11, 200 | Cleveland Heights (Cleveland, OH)
4-star: No. 187 overall, No. 14 RB
- Marquise Davis and Cleveland Heights (2-3) couldn’t sneak past Mentor (OH), losing 35-27, but it wasn’t because of Davis’ play. The future Kentucky running back was special on Friday. He tallied 171 rushing yards (one carry going for 80 yards) and two touchdowns on the ground. He also caught a 26-yard touchdown through the air, as well. Davis finished with 339 yards of total offense.
Quintin Simmons (WR) 6-0, 170 | Withrow (Cincinnati, OH)
4-star: No. 332 overall, No. 512WR
- Quintin Simmons and Withrow (0-5) remain winless on the season following a 43-19 loss to La Salle (OH). Statistics were not made available.
Kalen Edwards (DL) 6-4, 325 | Dyersburg (Dyersburg, TN)
4-star: No. 359 overall, No. 30 DL
- Kalen Edwards and Dyersburg improved to 3-2 after picking up their second straight win, this one a 38-6 victory over McNairy Central (TN). With Edwards leading the defensive line, Dyersburg gave up just 136 yards of total offense to McNairy Central.
Darrin Strey (OT) 6-6, 295 | Paw Paw (Paw Paw, MI)
3-star: No. 414 overall, No. 29 OT
- Darrin Strey and Paw Paw (4-0) have still yet to lose this season following a 34-7 win over Vicksburg (MI). Paw Paw scored 27 unanswered points to close out the game with all five touchdowns coming on the ground and Strey leading the offensive line. He also lined up on the defensive line, recording a tackle for loss. Watch him work in the Hudl highlights below.
Andrew Purcell (CB) 5-10, 185 | Enterprise (Enterprise, AL)
3-star: No. 498 overall, No. 44 CB
- Andrew Purcell and Enterprise (3-2) came up short, 34-21, against Central (AL). Enterprise actually led at the half, but couldn’t hold on against Alabama’s defending 7A champions. Statistics were not made available, but Purcell’s Hudl highlights show him breaking up a pair of potential touchdown catches. He also caught a 27-yard touchdown of his own and recorded a couple of defensive tackles.
Ja’Kayden Ferguson (WR) 6-2, 175 | Fort Bend Marshall (Houston, TX)
3-star: No. 504 overall, No. 71 WR
- Ja’Kayden Ferguson and Fort Bend Marshall (3-1) dropped their first game of the season on Thursday, losing 45-7 to Randle (TX). Statistics for Fort Bend Marshall were not made available.
Demarcus Gardner (CB) 6-0, 165 | Cedartown (Cedartown, GA)
3-star: No. 581 overall, No. 51 CB
- Demarcus Garnder and Cedartown (6-0) pitched their second shutout of the season with a 36-0 victory over Cass (GA). Gardner was credited with two receptions for three yards on offense but made his mark on defense with a pick-6 that he ran back over 90 yards to give us the final score of 36-0. You can watch highlights from his first five games this season through the Hudl video below.
Preston Bowman (WR) 6-0, 195 | Pickerington North (Pickerington, OH)
3-star: No. 670 overall, No. 104 WR
- Preston Bowman and Pickerington North (4-1) absolutely smacked Thomas Worthington (OH) by a final score of 63-7. Statistics were not made available, but Hudl highlights show Bowman blowing past the defense for an 89-yard touchdown reception, which you can watch below.
Stone Saunders (QB) 6-0, 205 | Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, PA)
3-star: No. 695 overall, No. 41 QB
- Stone Saunders and Bishop McDevitt (4-1) cruised past Carlisle (PA) by a final score of 56-7. Along the way, Saunders threw for six touchdowns (all coming in the first half), which ties him with Alex Erby for the Pennsylvania high school football record for career touchdowns at 176. He has 20 touchdowns to just one interception through five games this season. Below is a video of Saunders’ record-tying throw.
McD QB Stone Saunders just tied Steel-High’s Alex Erby for the state’s all-time mark in career passing touchdowns. This 10-yarder to Nazir Jones-Davis comes on first-and-goal at the Carlisle 10. 40 seconds before halftime. The Kentucky recruit has 6 TDs on the night. 176 total. pic.twitter.com/jF9GI0yT7u
— Eric Epler (@threejacker) September 21, 2024
Brennen Ward (QB) 6-3, 215 | Gahanna Lincoln (Gahanna, OH)
3-star: No. 793 overall, No. 48 QB
- Brennen Ward and Gahanna Lincoln (3-2) took care of Dublin Coffman (OH) with a 41-21 victory. Statistics were not made available, but Ward was credited on social media with three touchdown passes in the win.
Gahanna ROLLS on the road!💪🏼🔥
— Nick McGrail (@nick_mcgrail270) September 21, 2024
The Lions traveled to Dublin Coffman and came away with an impressive 41-21 win!
Brennen Ward threw for 3 TD to pace Gahanna🏈👀 pic.twitter.com/3CtJc20G9M
Jermiel Atkins (OT) 6-8, 270 | Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood, OH)
3-star: No. 912 overall, No. 53 OT
- Jermiel Atkins and Trotwood-Madison (0-5) have still yet to win a game this season after coming up just short, 28-25, against Center Grove (IN). Atkins’ team nearly overcame a 15-0 deficit at halftime but a lengthy weather delay disrupted some of that momentum in the third quarter.
Nicholas Smith (DL) 6-5, 275 | Walnut Grove (Loganville, GA)
3-star: No. 1,095 overall, No. 113 DL
- Nicholas Smith and Walnut Grove (4-1) bounced back with a 29-19 win over Cedar Shoals (GA) after dropping its first game of the season the week prior. Statistics were not made available, but you can check out all of Smith’s midseason highlights through the Hudl video below.
Bryan Auguste (OT) 6-6, 285 | Monarch (Coconut Creek, FL)
3-star: No. 1,158 overall, No. 74 OT
- Bryan Auguste and Monarch (3-1) came away with an easy 42-8 win over Fort Lauderdale (FL). Statistics were not made available.
Tucker Kattus (IOL) 6-5, 300 | St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH)
3-star: No. 1,225 overall, No. 100 OT
- Tucker Kattus and St. Xavier (3-2) just barely lost to Archbishop Moeller (OH) by a final score of 45-37. St. Xavier ran for nearly 300 yards — including an 80-yard touchdown run by QB Chase Herbstreit on the first play of the game — in the loss with Kattus leading the offensive line. Over 7,000 people showed up for this Cincinnati-based showdown.
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