Kentucky's 2023 Recruiting Big Board: Defense

We are one week away from National Signing Day. Things are happening quickly.

The Kentucky coaching staff is conducting in-home visits and will have its final big recruiting weekend for the 2023 cycle in a few days. We have reached the final stretch of this recruiting season. It’s time to see where the Wildcats stand.

UK currently has 15 high school commits in the class of 2023 and will be looking to add a few more prospects before pen meets paper on Dec. 21. On defense, there are a few prospects we should all be monitoring over the next few days.

Let’s dive into KSR’s latest recruiting big board.

Ja’Keem Jackson (Florida commit)

• Measurables: 6-0, 180
• Position: CB
• High School: Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola
• On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 153 overall (four-star)
• Competition: Florida and Miami

Defensive backs coach Chris Collins has done a good job keeping UK alive in this blue-chip recruiting battle by getting Ja’Keem Jackson on campus twice for an unofficial visit (June 14) and an official visit (Oct. 14). However, the Cats are losing steam.

It does not appear that Kentucky conducted an in-home visit with the cornerback and Miami is emerging as the top competitor with Florida as National Signing Day approaches.

Will Norman (Florida commit)

• Measurables: 6-4, 276
• Position: DL
• High School: Camden (N.J.) Eastside
• On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 214 overall (four-star)
• Competition: Florida

The blue-chip defensive tackle prospect was scheduled to take an official visit to Kentucky on the weekend of the Vanderbilt home game in November but it appears that the prospect made another trip to Florida instead.

Things have been quiet on Kentucky’s end. All signs point to Will Norman joining Billy Napier’s program at this point.

Rico Walker (uncommitted)

• Measurables: 6-3, 234
• Position: EDGE
• High School: Hickory (N.C.) High
• On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 308 overall (four-star)
• Competition: North Carolina and Maryland

The long-time North Carolina commitment backed off his pledge in November, and Kentucky has emerged as a surprise contender. The Wildcats hosted Rico Walker for an official visit last week and are looking to beat Mike Locksley’s Maryland program as NSD approaches.

BBN🔵⚪️👀 pic.twitter.com/5BPeKe1dXU

— 6’4”specimen (@Ricowalker15) December 12, 2022

Kentucky has inked multiple four-star prospects at EDGE in recent classes. Brad White could be adding another talented prospect to his position room over the next week.

Kendrick Gilbert (Purdue commit)

• Measurables: 6-5, 292
• Position: DL
• High School: Indianapolis (Ind.) Cathedral
• On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 331 overall (four-star)
• Competition: Purdue and Louisville

Kendrick Gilbert has been a target for Kentucky for a very long-time as the Wildcats hosted the midwest product for at least four visits since June. Despite the visit frequency, Purdue beat out both UK and Iowa for a commitment in August.

However, things change quickly in college football.

Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm has left West Lafayette for Louisville and is bringing defensive line coach Mark Hagen with him. Hagen was the lead recruiter for Gilbert. We’ve already seen Brohm’s new staff flip in-state defensive line recruits Micah Carter and Saadiq Clements to Louisville. But Gilbert hasn’t followed.

New Purdue head coach Ryan Walters will certainly make Gilbert a high priority after being hired on Tuesday, but this is a recruitment that could go in multiple different directions.

Asa Newsom (uncommitted)

• Measurables: 6-4, 205
• Position: LB
• High School: Waverly (Iowa) Shell Rock
• On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 607 overall (three-star)
• Competition: Iowa, Kansas State, Minnesota, and Nebraska

Kentucky was late to the party in this recruitment by not issuing an offer for Asa Newsom until Nov. 24, but the Wildcats have closed ground fast. That has given them more than a puncher’s chance at landing the three-star prospect.

The toolsy linebacker will be in Lexington this weekend for an official visit as Kentucky looks to lock this recruitment up. UK appears to be in solid shape in this recruitment, but Iowa, Kansas State, and Minnesota have all gotten Newsom on campus for official visits.

Tavion Gadson (Florida State commit)

• Measurables: 6-5, 265
• Position: DL
• High School: Savannah (Ga.) Jenkins
• On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 680 (three-star)
• Competition: Florida State

If Kendrick Gilbert was option 1A for Kentucky over the summer on the defensive line, Tavion Gadson was option 1B. The three-star prospect visited Lexington twice before the season before committing to Florida State in August.

However, Kentucky is keeping the full-court press on here with defensive backs coach Chris Collins running point in this recruitment.

Multiple Kentucky coaches just conducted an in-home visit with Goodson, and the line-of-scrimmage prospect will make the trip to Lexington this weekend for an official visit. A flip could be coming soon.

D’Juan Waller Jr. (uncommitted)

• Measurables: 6-3, 195
• Position: DB
• High Schoo: Youngstown (Ohio) Chaney
• On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 688 (three-star)
• Competition: Michigan

D’Juan Waller Jr. has been a late riser during the 2023 cycle as a strong senior season has turned the Ohio native into a prospect of note. Vince Marrow is working on recording another recruiting win in Youngstown, but there is some legitimate competition.

Waller is a 100 percent take for Michigan as the Wildcats are battling former assistant Steve Clinkscale head-to-head on the recruiting trail. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter conducted an in-home visit with Clinkscale on Dec. 11 as the back-to-back Big Ten champs are pushing hard for the versatile defensive back.

This recruitment feels like it could go down to the wire.