Jarvis Strickland becomes Kentucky's first commit in 2026 high school cycle

The long wait for Kentucky’s first commitment in the 2026 high school recruiting cycle finally ended on Sunday night. The Cats get on the board on March 30 by landing a priority target at a priority position.

Paducah (Ky.) Tilghman offensive tackle Jarvis Strickland became on Cat when he announced his commitment on Instagram. Vince Marrow was the lead recruiter for yet another in-state recruiting win for the Wildcats.

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“Honestly, the trust I have with the coaching staff and still being close to home is what made me choose Kentucky,” Strickland told KSR.

Jarvis Strickland is following in the footsteps of fellow Chattanooga native and former Paducah Tilghman standout Martels Carter. The latter committed to Kentucky before the busy recruiting season began in the summer. Strickland has done the same.

Kentucky made multiple trip to Western Kentucky during the open recruiting period with Marrow and head coach Mark Stoops stopping in to see the top-500 recruit. All of that work helped lead to this moment. One of the state’s top players in the 2026 cycle is now a Cat.

Jarvis Strickland is the No. 385 overall player in the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking. Kentucky was considered the heavy favorite in this recruitment for more than a few weeks now. The Cats have now closed the deal.

“They see me as a day one guy,” Strickland said. “They want to see me come in and take control of the line, seeing as they have a bunch of guys leaving this year.”

Tackle has been a big position of need for this program. Kentucky needed more high-quality recruiting wins in the high school market at the position. Jarvis Strickland will help check this box in a big way.

Next up is a big official visit weekend in April when four-star quarterback Oscar Rios and top-500 prospect Terry Wiggins are scheduled to be on campus. Could the addition of Strickland give the Cats some much-needed momentum on the trail?

Kentucky’s current official visit list

April 11-13

Downey (Calif.) High quarterback Oscar Rios (4-star, No. 187 overall)

Coatesville (Pa.) Area linebacker Terry Wiggins (3-star, No. 469 overall)

June 6-8

Marion (Mass.) Tabor Academy defensive lineman Marcus Almada (Unranked)

Camden (N.J.) Eastside EDGE Elijah Satchell (Unranked)

Richmond (Va.) Hermitage safety Andre Clarke Jr. (4-star, No. 172 overall)

Fort Pierce (Fla.) Westwood cornerback Jordan Crutchfield (4-star, No. 331 overall)

Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee wide receiver Dallas Dickerson (unranked)

June 13-15

Evergreen (Ala.) Hillcrest defensive back J.T. Barlow (3-star, No. 943 overall)

Rome (Ga.) High wide receiver Darnell Collins (Unranked)

Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater linebacker Justin Edwards (Unranked)

Orlando (Fla.) Jones wide receiver Larry Miles (3-star, No. 422 overall)

San Antonio (Texas) Cornerstone Christian School wide receiver Davis McCray (Unranked)

June 15-17

Venice (Fla.) EDGE Asharri Charles (4-star, No. 176 overall)

June 20-22

Louisville (Ky.) St. Xavier linebacker Karsten Busch (3-star, No. 474 overall | Louisville commit)

Manchester (Ga.) High cornerback Jaedyn Terry (4-star, No. 348 overall | Georgia Tech commit)