Kentucky is finalist for high 3-star linebacker James Heard

Recruiting news is ramping up for the class of 2023 as lists are being made and June official visits are being scheduled. Kentucky is working on adding to its class, and James Heard is one of the top targets at linebacker.

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep School prospect has cut his recruitment to four schools with Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia emerging as the finalists. The New Jersey native transferred to St. Joseph’s Prep before his junior season in 2021.

James Heard is the No. 486 prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Per the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM), West Virginia is listed as the current favorite in Heard’s recruitment with a 41.4 percent chance to land the New Jersey prospect. Heard has an official visit scheduled to West Virginia in June.

Aye Wildcats stand up!! #BBN pic.twitter.com/g6cF0I1olj

— JH6 (@JamesHeardjr) March 23, 2022

James Heard took an unofficial visit to Kentucky in March to go along with a trips to Tennessee and West Virginia. Both wide receivers coach Scott Woodward and defensive coordinator Brad White appear to be spearheading Kentucky’s recruiting efforts in the northeast as a battle could be brewing with Neal Brown’s West Virginia program that is dealing with some heavy roster churn this offseason.

Philadelphia has not been a targeted area in the past, but last year White dipped into Pittsburgh to land four-star EDGE Tyreese Fearbry, and now the staff looks to get some traction in Pennsylvania’s other major city.

Recruiting never stops.