Kentucky Football announces addition of 13 Early Enrollees

The University of Kentucky football program officially announced the addition of 13 early enrollees for the 2022 spring semester. The group of newcomers includes three transfers, three preferred walk-ons and the highest-ranked player in the 2022 recruiting class, Kiyaunta Goodwin.

The most newsworthy portion of this announcement is not who was included, rather who was omitted. At the conclusion of the Early Signing Period, Kentucky expected ten players to arrive on campus for the spring semester. JUCO cornerback Zah Frazier made an unexpected move by flipping from UK to UTSA. Georgia defensive lineman Quentel Jones was also initially expected to be an early enrollee, but now will conclude his high school career this spring.

The early enrollees will be integrated into the program over the next month in the weight room. Spring practice will give the recent high schoolers a head start on what to expect as an SEC football player. All three transfers will contribute on the field this fall, and a couple of freshmen — Goodwin, Dane Key, Andre Stewart and Elijah Reed — could use this opportunity to climb the depth chart before their counterparts arrive this summer.

Bios for Early Enrollees

Grant Bingham, Offensive Lineman, 6-5, 325, Fr-HS, Paintsville, Ky. (Johnson Central HS) – A four-star recruit, considered a top-300 college football prospect in the country … Listed as the No. 3 overall recruit in the Commonwealth via 247Sports and on3.com … Helped lead Johnson Central to a 51-5 overall record during his four-year prep career, learning under the tutelage of the late and beloved head coach Jim Matney, who passed away in October after complications due to COVID-19 … Named the 2021 4A District 8 Player of the Year after leading the Eagles to a runner-up finish in the 4A KHSAA state championship title race … Helped JCHS rush for 4,564 yards during the 2021 season … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” list of the top seniors in Kentucky … Kentucky Sports Radio 2021 All-State Football Team … Member of Johnson Central’s 2019 Class 4A state championship team that went 15-0 … Earned Football University (FBU) Freshman All-America honors in 2018 … Also an excellent tennis player … Along with doubles partner Brayden Pickle, the duo advanced to Johnson Central’s first regional team tennis championship match … Member of the 2021 regional championship team … Excels in the classroom, carrying a 4.0 grade point average … Received over 20 offers but ultimately chose UK over Notre Dame, Michigan, West Virginia, Northwestern, Arkansas, Miami and Nebraska among others. 

Tomiwa Durojaiye, Defensive Lineman, 6-4, 255, Fr-HS, Middletown, Del. (Middletown HS) –

Name is pronounced “TOE-mee-wah durr-oh-JI” (rhymes with “eye”) … Rated a three-star by both Rivals and 247sports … Ranked as the No. 42 strongside defensive end in the nation and top player in the state of Delaware by Rivals … First-Team All-State selection as both a junior and senior … Named the 2021 Delaware 3A District 1 Defensive Player of the Year by the Delaware Interscholastic Football Coaches Association after helping Middletown claim the 2021 DIAA Class 3A title … Totaled 58 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups …  In a shortened eight-game season in 2020, charted 45 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks, helping his team to a 7-1 record and conference championship, while finishing as state runner-up … Middletown also was state runner-up his sophomore season, going 10-1 … Coached by Zach Blum … Picked Kentucky over Michigan, South Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri and others … Felt like Kentucky gave him “best opportunity to play in the NFL and reach my potential on and off the field” … First generation American as his family originated from Nigeria … Signed with Kentucky over offers from Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan, South Carolina, Georgia Tech and others.

Kiyaunta Goodwin, Offensive Lineman, 6-8, 330, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (Charlestown (Ind.) HS) – Name is pronounced “key-ON-tay” … A five-star recruit who is ranked as the top offensive tackle in the nation and No. 1 recruit from Indiana … Ranked the No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 13 overall player in the 2022 class by 247Sports … Ranked as the No. 5 offensive tackle and No. 30 player based on ratings of multiple recruiting services … Listed as the state of Indiana’s No. 2 recruit by Rivals … Played at Holy Cross in Louisville, Kentucky as a freshman and was named to the MaxPreps Freshman All-America team … Transferred to Ballard High School in Louisville as a sophomore before ending his prep career at Charlestown High School in Indiana … Coached by Jason Hawkins at Charlestown … Hawkins said of Goodwin, “He’s got a great attitude and he’s fun to be around. His work ethic is really good. He practices hard and when he gets to the game he can move. He looks like a semi and runs like a Camaro.” …Selected to play in the 2022 All-American Bowl … Had more than 60 scholarship offers but ultimately chose Kentucky over Alabama, Clemson, Michigan State and Ohio State.

Darrion Henry-Young, Defensive Lineman, 6-4, 265, So-Tr, Cincinnati, Ohio (Ohio State/Princeton HS) –  Transferred to Kentucky after two seasons at Ohio State … Played in two games for the Buckeyes in 2021 … Redshirted the 2020 season as a true freshman after playing in two games … Totaled 2.0 tackles, a sack and tackle for loss … Ranked as the No. 2 player in the state of Ohio and the No. 16 defensive tackle prospect in the nation by 247Sports as a high school senior in class of 2020 … A four-star prospect ranked in the Top 150 nationally … Also a Rivals100 recruit … Earned first-team All-Ohio and was a member of the Southwest Ohio Football Coaches Association Division I first team in 2019 … Led the Greater Miami Conference with 8.5 sacks as a junior in 2018 … Played at Princeton for coach Mike Daniels.

Deuce Hogan, Quarterback, 6-4, 212, So-Tr, Southlake, Texas (Iowa/Grapevine Faith Christian) – Transferred to Kentucky after two seasons at Iowa … Saw action in one game in 2021 as a redshirt freshman … Redshirted in 2020 … Coming out of high school was rated by 247Sports as the 15th-best pro-style quarterback in the nation in the Class of 2020 … Four-year letter winner and three-time team captain for his dad and head coach Kris Hogan at Faith Christian Academy … Threw for an impressive 8,192 yards and completed 52.8 percent of his pass attempts, with 100 career touchdown passes and 30 interceptions … Holds school records for career wins, touchdowns, yards, and completions … Led the Lions to the state playoffs four straight years, winning state title as a freshman and reaching semifinals as a senior … Helped the Lions compile a four-year prep record of 36-11 … Earned all-state and all-district honors as a senior … Earned all-district as a sophomore and junior … Named Newcomer of the Year as a freshman … Given name is Kristopher Joseph Hogan II.

Dane Key, Wide Receiver, 6-3, 195, Fr-HS, Lexington, Ky. (Frederick Douglass) – Consensus four-star prospect … The top prospect in Kentucky as rated by 247sports and ESPN … One of the nation’s top 40 wide receivers and top 250 overall prospects by both services … Paul Hornung Award winner as the Kentucky Player of the Year, selected by the Louisville Quarterback Club … Rejoins current Cats Jager Burton (2020), Beau Allen (2019) and Wan’Dale Robinson (2018) as the three previous winners of that award … Class 5A Player of the Year as picked by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” list of the top seniors in Kentucky … Had 959 receiving yards and nine touchdowns as a senior, with all-state teams yet to be selected … First-team all-state as a junior by The Associated Press, Louisville Courier-Journal and Kentucky Sports Radio … Caught 37 passes for 625 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior, plus a kickoff return for a TD … Helped lead team to a 34-5 record during his final three seasons, with trips to the Class AAAAA state finals as a senior and sophomore … Coached by Nathan McPeek … Centerfielder in baseball … Son of Donte’ Key, UK linebacker/defensive end from 1992-95, who was National Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the 1994 inaugural Governor’s Cup game vs. Louisville … Brother of Devon Key, who played at Western Kentucky and is currently with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs … Reunites at UK with Frederick Douglass teammates Dekel Crowdus and Jager Burton .. Chose UK over Oregon, South Carolina and Michigan. 

Cole Lanter, Wide Receiver, 5-11, 180, Fr-HS, Danville, Ky. (Boyle County HS) –  Accepted a preferred walk-on position after a stellar high school career at Boyle County High School … Four-year letter winner and three-year starter at slot receiver … Helped the Rebels compile an impressive 52-3 overall record during his four seasons as he combined for 2,253 receiving yards and 35 receiving touchdowns … As a senior, led Boyle County with 78 catches for 1,288 yards and 21 receiving touchdowns, averaging 85.9 receiving yards per game … Also had 28 carries for 227 rushing yards and four touchdowns … His 21 receiving touchdowns and 78 receptions led the state and were school records … His 1,288 receiving yards ranked second in the state … Also had two punt return touchdowns and playing defensive back, charted 32 tackles and two interceptions … All together, he totaled 27 touchdowns and helped Boyle County finish 14-1 and win its 10^th state championship, including second in a row, by defeating Johnson Central in the 2021 Class 4A championship … Played for head coach Justin Haddix … Named first-team All-State by the Courier-Journal … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader’s Class of the Commonwealth team … Finalist for the Kentucky Football Coaches Association’s Mr. Football award …  As a junior, had 38 catches for 647 yards and nine scores and 18 rushes for 123 yards and one score … Also had 20 tackles in helping the Rebels win the 2020 state championship … Member of the 2019 Class 4a State Runner-up team … Competed in track in 2021, participating in the 100 and 200-meters, 4×100-meter and 4×200-meter relay … Excellent student as he carried a 4.0 grade point average throughout his prep career … Named Academic All-American by scoutSMART … Comes from a family of athletes as cousin Tod Lanter, was a walk-on on the Kentucky basketball team from 2012-2015 and his uncle, Bo, played basketball at Kentucky from 1979-82 … Chose Kentucky over scholarship offers from Eastern Kentucky and Murray State.

Tashawn Manning, Offensive Line, 6-4, 340, Sr-Tr, Apopka, Fla. (Auburn/Wekiva HS) – Name is pronounced “TAY-shawn” …  Comes to Kentucky as a graduate transfer after spending four seasons at Auburn (2017-2021) … Prior to enrolling at Auburn, during his senior year of high school, Manning was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia … After eight months of chemotherapy, he was declared cancer-free on July 10, 2016 … Redshirted his freshman season in 2017 and moved from defensive tackle to offensive guard … Saw action in one game in 2018 and four games in 2019 before earning a starting role in all 11 games in 2020 … Played in all 12 games for the Tigers in 2021, starting three … Graded as the team’s best run blocker in 2021 by Pro Football Focus … Graduated in December of 2020 with an interdisciplinary studies degree emphasizing business, leadership and sports coaching and began working on a second in business during the 2021 season … Named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll in 2020 … All-Conference defender for Coach Kenard Lang at Wekiva High … 2015 Florida Class 8A first-team All-State … Central Florida All-Star Game invite … A three-star athlete ranked by 247 Sports and ESPN as a top 75 defensive tackle coming out of high school … Also threw the shot put and discus … Comes from a family of athletes as his mother played basketball and father played football at Marshall.

Jack Monday, Tight End, 6-1, 217, Fr-HS, Lexington, Ky. (Lexington Catholic HS) –  Accepted a preferred walk-on position after an excellent prep career at Lexington Catholic High School … Three-year starter at tight end and linebacker for head coach Nigel Smith … Had 36 catches for 439 yards and eight touchdowns in helping lead the Knights to a 9-3 record in 2021 … Also totaled 78 tackles, including six tackles for loss and one interception as a senior … Named to the Class 4A, District 5 All-District First Team … Excelled in the classroom, earning first-team all-state academic honors three straight seasons … Was a member of the Knights’ baseball team as a junior … Chose Kentucky over Centre College and Vanderbilt.

Elijah Reed, Cornerback, 6-3, 180, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (Pleasure Ridge Park) – Has an intriguing story on his development into a Division I college prospect … Originally a senior wide receiver during the 2020 season, the shortened Covid season limited his opportunities and he decided to return in 2021 for a “super senior” year … Moved to cornerback in ‘21, and his length and speed put him into D-I prospect territory at the new position … Consensus three-star prospect by ESPN, 247sports.com, and Rivals.com … One of the top-10 prospects in Kentucky by all three services … The No. 75 cornerback nationally by ESPN and No. 81 nationally as rated by 247sports … Played at Pleasure Ridge Park High School in Class AAAAAA, the largest classification in Kentucky … Chosen honorable mention for the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” list of the top seniors in Kentucky … Already has a friendship with current UK cornerback Carrington Valentine, a factor which played in role in his selection of the Wildcats … In addition to Kentucky, recruiting finalists were Utah and Purdue, with consideration to West Virginia, Louisville, and Illinois.

Tayvion Robinson, Wide Receiver, 5-11, 185, Jr-Tr, Virginia Beach, Va. (Virginia Tech/Cox HS) – Name is pronounced “TAY-vee-on” …  Played three seasons at Virginia Tech … Compiled 113 career receptions for 1,555 yards and nine touchdowns in 36 career games … Started in 30 career games, including all 12 in 2021 … Led the Hokies in receptions (44) and receiving touchdowns (5) and was second on the team in receiving yards (559) in 2021 … Also the Hokies’ primary punt returner, averaging 13.67 yards and returning one punt for a 60-yard touchdown … Ended the regular season ranking third in the FBS with 328 punt return yards on the season … His 13.7-yard punt return average ranked fifth in the nation … Named ACC Co-Specialist of the Week (9/27) after racking up 140 all-purpose yards, including a 60-yard return for a touchdown vs. Richmond … Earned ESPN All-ACC Midseason Team honors … As a sophomore in 2020, he was the team’s leading receiver with 38 catches for 592 yards and three touchdowns … As a freshman, caught 31 passes for 404 yards and one touchdown, including two receptions for 18 yards against Kentucky in the 2019 Belk Bowl … A four-star prospect coming out of Cox High School … Rated the No. 6 player in Virginia in the Class of 2019 by Rivals … Rated No. 12 and No. 16 by 247Sports and ESPN, respectively … Ranked the No. 17 athlete by Rivals, No. 37 by 247Sports and No. 54 by ESPN … Played quarterback, running back and receiver on offense for head coach Bill Stachelski … Accounted for 1,635 yards – 539 passing, 1,096 rushing – and 21 touchdowns as a senior … Defensively, returned three interceptions for touchdowns and returned a punt for a score.

Jackson Schulz, Defensive Back, 6-2, 215, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (Trinity HS) –  Accepted a preferred walk-on position … Four-year letter winner at safety and nickel for head coach Bob Beatty at Trinity … Helped the Shamrock win the Class 6A State Championship title in 2020 … Named Scout Team Player of the Year as a sophomore and earned Most Improved Player as a junior … In the 2020 title game against Male, led the team in tackles with five, including 1.0 tackle for loss … Excellent student who earned a spot on the school’s Principal’s List … Chose Kentucky over Miami (Ohio) and Purdue.

Andre Stewart, Cornerback, 5-11, 185, Fr-HS, Atlanta, Ga. (North Cobb HS) –  Rated a three-star by Rivals, on3 and 247sports … Ranked the No. 59 cornerback in the nation and No. 57 player in the state of Georgia by rivals … Ranked the No. 52 cornerback by 247sports … Attended Marietta High School as a freshman and sophomore, helping the Blue Devils win the 2019 Class 7A state championship … Transferred to Brookwood in 2020 before landing at North Cobb for his senior season … Did not allow any touchdowns or big plays in the passing game while helping Brookwood go 8-3 and advance to the playoffs … As a senior at North Cobb, totaled 25 tackles, nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and an interception, helping the Warriors win the 2021 7A Region 3 Championship and finish with a 10-2 overall record … Named to the 2021 All-Region 3-7A First Team … Played for head coach Shane Queen at North Cobb … Signed with Kentucky over offers from Auburn, Florida, LSU, Arkansas, Miami, Ole Miss, Michigan State, Louisville, Oregon, Tennessee and others.