Kentucky football adds Glasgow WR Rico Crowder Jr. as PWO

When searching for walk-ons in the offseason, Mark Stoops tends to choose from that year’s crop of in-state talent in hopes of finding production down the road. The Wildcats’ longtime head coach found another match to that criteria this week.

On Wednesday morning, Rico Crowder Jr. out of Glasgow High School announced on social media that he will continue his athletic career at the University of Kentucky. Clocking in at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, the rising senior is a multi-positional prospect for the Scotties, suiting up at wide receiver, running back, and defensive back. In addition to football, he also runs track and plays basketball for Glasgow.

KSR has learned that Crowder, who took a visit to UK on Tuesday, will join the program as a preferred walk-on and that he intends to play wide receiver. He will graduate from Glasgow in December and enroll early at UK in January. Associate head coach Vince Marrow has been his main contact.

“He’s a great person,” Crowder told KSR of Marrow. “He’s giving me an opportunity of a lifetime and I’m so grateful.”

Beyond blessed to be able to continue my athletic carrier at the University of Kentucky 🔵⚪️#chasinggreatness pic.twitter.com/CspXOgPlxh

— RicoCrowderJr. (@RicoCrowderJr) July 26, 2023

During his junior season on the gridiron, Crowder appeared in 10 games for the Scotties, which finished 6-5 on the year with a first-round exit in the Class 3A playoffs to Union County. Crowder’s 2022 campaign resulted in him recording 225 rushing yards on 34 carries for three touchdowns and 213 receiving yards on 11 receptions for seven touchdowns. On defense, he registered six solo tackles and one sack.

There’s plenty of untapped potential in terms of his raw talent as a wide receiver. He ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash during a camp at Kentucky earlier this summer, which is when he caught the eyes of the staff.

With Glasgow featuring a run-heavy, Wing-T offense under head coach Jeff Garmon, Crowder’s touches as a wide-out have been limited. His highlights mostly show him lining up behind tight ends and receiving handoffs as a wing out of that formation. He’ll have a chance to showcase his talents as a pass-catcher in Lexington.