Kentucky Football end-of-week offer roundup

Time for our weekly recruiting update presented by our friend Andy Luedecke at MyPerfectFranchise. Andy is a huge college sports fan and franchise veteran, having owned multiple franchises and businesses. Using his expertise, he helps others find their American Dream through a very thorough consultation and evaluation process.

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Welcome back to another end-of-week offer roundup, where we dive into all of the scholarships handed out to various high school prospects across the country by the Kentucky Football staff. Considering we are currently in the “quiet period” of the recruiting calendar, coaches can only talk to or offer recruits while they are at that school’s respective campus. Which is why the staff has compiled plenty of camp opportunities for the month of June — which began on Sunday — in order to bring those kids to Lexington.

Since then, nearly 20 offers have been handed out by UK as prospects perform well at said camps. There are a few high-caliber names that picked up Kentucky scholarships, a couple of pairs of high school teammates, and even one intriguing local recruit. Let’s dive right into who they are.

*All rankings courtesy of the On3 Consensus*

Class of 2023

Malachi Coleman: 6-5, 190-pound ATH | Lincoln East (Lincoln, NE)
4-star, No. 96 overall; No. 2 ATH

Kentucky associate head coach Vince Marrow is shooting his shot with Malachi Coleman, who is considered a top 100 prospect in the ’23 class, per the On3 Consensus. Coleman’s offer from UK came on Wednesday. The likes of Nebraska, Michigan, Oregon, and Oklahoma are considered his top suitors. The Cornhuskers appear to have the overwhelming lead following Coleman’s official visit there last weekend. Michigan will get the next visit at the end of the month.

Josh Johnson 5-10, 170-pound ATH | The Woodlands Christian Academy (The Woodlands, TX)

After receiving his first Power 5 offer from Ole Miss in late May, Josh Johnson earned a preferred walk-on spot with Kentucky on Wednesday. The offer from the Rebels could be a PWO as well. In terms of full-ride scholarships, Johnson holds offers from Nicholls State and Eastern Kentucky. The Texas native is a multi-versatile athlete, playing quarterback and defensive back.

Keontez Bradley: 6-2, 175-pound CB | Mansfield (Mansfield, OH)

The fourth Divison I offer for Keontez Bradley came from Kentucky following an impressive camp outing on Thursday. His previous three came from Miami (OH), Toledo, and Kent State. All three offers have come since the spring began, so there appears to be some late momentum for the rising senior.

Kenyon Booth: 6-5, 225-pound DL | Hillsborough (Tampa, FL)

Kenyon Booth announced his offer from Kentucky last Friday, his second from a Divison I program (Southern Miss).

Class of 2024

Omillio Agard: 5-10, 160-pound CB | St. Joseph’s Prep School (Philadelphia, PA)
4-star, No. 128 overall; No. 15 CB

Omillio Agard’s recruitment is blowing up rather quickly. In just the month of June alone, the top-rated defensive back has garnered offers from Alabama, Clemson, and Michigan State. Kentucky reached out as well, with defensive coordinator Brad White extending a scholarship on Thursday. Agard is a potential five-star recruit and was tabbed as an All-American DB during his sophomore season.

Ted Hammond: 6-4, 265-pound DL | St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH)
3-star, No. 318 overall; No. 31 DL

One of two rising juniors out of Cincinnati to receive a Kentucky offer this week was Ted Hammond, who heard from the ‘Cats on Tuesday. The St. Xavier product is arguably the top defensive lineman in the state of Ohio while tripling as a baseball and basketball player, too. The home city Cincinnati Bearcats offered earlier in June while the likes of Duke, Iowa, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, and Vanderbilt have all offered since the spring. Thompson recently visited the campuses of Texas and South Florida, as well.

Andre Thompson: 5-8, 150-pound WR | Manvel (Manvel, TX)
No. 114 WR per On3’s individual rankings

While Andre Thompson doesn’t currently have a ranking by most recruiting services, On3’s personal database considers him as a top 115 wide receiver in the class. His Kentucky offer came on Tuesday from Coach Marrow. Thompson holds additional offers from schools such as Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Miami (FL), Arkansas, and Arizona State, among a few others.

Nasir Smith: 6-4, 290-pound DL | Grayson (Grayson, GA)

Nasir Smith’s stock is exploding as he heads into the summer before his junior season. He earned an offer from Kentucky on Wednesday, tagging both defensive line coach Anwar Stewart and defensive backs coach Chris Collins in his announcement tweet. Prior to his UK offer, Smith received June scholarships from Michigan State, Auburn, and Georgia. South Carolina, LSU, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Mississippi State all offered him in May. Smith isn’t ranked right now, but he will absolutely earn some stars in the coming updates.

Demeco Kennedy: 6-3, 270-pound DL | Frederick Douglass (Lexington, KY)

The lone local prospect offered this week was Demeco Kennedy out of Frederick Douglass, which has turned into a pipeline program for the ‘Cats over the last few years. Illinois and Louisville are already on him but Kentucky was able to get Kennedy to Lexington for a camp on Tuesday where he was offered shortly after. He’s now 2-2 on offers during June camps with visits to South Carolina and Cincinnati on the docket this month. Don’t be surprised if you hear his name more and more over the coming years.

Karson Hobbs: 6-1, 180-pound S | Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, OH)

Our second Cincinnati prospect is from a familiar school. Karson Hobbs suits up for Archbishop Moeller, which recently produced two incoming UK freshmen in Josh Kattus and Brandon White. Hobbs’ offer from Kentucky came on Tuesday from Coach Marrow, just a day before South Carolina reached out with a scholarship, as well. Previously, Hobbs had already earned offers from the likes of West Virginia, Marshall, and Akron.

Class of 2025

Michael Taylor: 5-11, 185-pound RB | Pickerington North (Pickerington, OH)
Preston Bowman: 6-0, 190-pound WR | Pickerington North (Pickerington, OH)

Pickerington North teammates Michael Taylor and Preston Bowman both earned Kentucky offers on Tuesday, their first from a Divison I program. Coach Marrow extended the offers to both of the rising sophomores, who double as star track runners. Bowman has upcoming camp visits to the likes of Ohio State and Michigan later this month.

Jackson Wiley: 6-0, 165-pound WR | Olentangy (Lewis Center, OH)

Another Ohio prospect offered this week was Jackson Wiley, who is familiar with Pickerington North’s Taylor and Bowman. Wiley earned his scholarship from the ‘Cats courtesy of Coach Marrow on Tuesday, which was also his first from a Divison I school. Cincinnati is interested in the nearby pass catcher.

Class of 2026

Camron Thompson: 6-3, 300-pound IOL | Jenkins (Savannah, GA)
Carlton Hall: 6-4, 275-pound OT | Jenkins (Savannah, GA)

Sticking with the theme of offering teammates, Coach Collins extended a pair of offers to Camron Thompson and Carlton Hall out of Georgia’s Jenkins High School. The two soon-to-be freshmen had yet to earn a Divison I offer until they performed well during Tuesday’s camp in Lexington.

Jarvis Strickland: 6-4, 280-pound OT | Brainerd (Chattanooga, TN)

The second DI offer for Jarvis Strickland came on Tuesday from Kentucky wide receivers coach Scott Woodward. Strickland previously picked up an offer from Eastern Kentucky in April following a visit to the Colonels. He was one of the many current eighth-graders who showed out in the camp setting this week.

Malachi Taylor: 6-1, 165-pound WR | Pickerington North (Pickerington, OH)

The third Pickerington North product to earn an offer from the ‘Cats was Malachi Taylor, the younger brother of the aforementioned Michael Taylor. Coach Marrow was once again the one who extended the offer, which was the first from a DI program for Malachi. The incoming high school freshman performed incredibly well at a camp in Lexington this week, leading to the offer.

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