Kentucky football Friday afternoon offer roundup

It was another busy, busy week on the recruiting trail for members of the Kentucky football coaching staff. After extending double-digit offers to begin the week, UK coaches went back to work to close out the workweek.

The staff continued to focus on the Florida and Georgia areas, with most of this week’s offers going to high school prospects from the Sunshine State. However, we did see a handful of scholarships go out to recruits in Connecticut, Texas, and California along with one to a top-five player in the entire country out of Alabama.

We’ve got another dozen-plus new offers to break down, so let’s jump right into it.

Class of 2024 offers

Cole Tabb (RB) 5-8, 185 | Choctawhatchee Senior (Fort Walton Beach, FL)
3-star: No. 676 overall, No. 56 RB

• Kentucky running backs coach Jay Boulware dipped into Florida on Wednesday to extend an offer to Cole Tabb, who doubles as a star track runner. Tabb also holds offers from the likes of Texas A&M, Indiana, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Utah, West Virginia, and plenty more. He rushed for over 2,400 yards and totaled 24 touchdowns as a junior at Choctawhatchee (FL) High School.

Trelain Maddox (ATH) 6-2, 190 | Buford (Buford, GA) –> KSR+ interview
3-star: No. 728 overall, No. 41 ATH

• Trelain Maddox out of powerhouse Buford (GA) High School received the news of his Kentucky offer on Tuesday from defensive backs coach Chris Collins. Listed as an athlete, Maddox is being recruited to the Wildcats as a cornerback and is already looking to lock in a visit to Lexington, according to Jacob Polacheck of KSR+. Vanderbilt and Virginia are some of the other Power 5 schools paying close attention to Maddox’s recruitment.

Jadon Lafontant (IOL) 6-3, 315 | Brunswick School (Old Greenwich, CT)

• As Kentucky continues to expand its recruiting reach into the northeast, Jadon Lafontant is the latest prospect from that area to hear from the ‘Cats. Lafontant announced his UK offer on Wednesday, tagging offensive line coach Zach Yenser and wide receivers coach Scott Woodward in his offer announcement, the latter being from the northeastern region. Vanderbilt and Illinois also reached out with offers this week. Lafontant currently has one official visit set for Boston College on the weekend of June 9.

Donovan Thompson (OT) 6-3, 305 | Meadowcreek (Norcross, GA)
Isaac Cannizzaro (DL) 6-4, 270 | Meadowcreek (Norcross, GA) –> KSR+ interview

• Donovan Thompson was one of the two Meadowcreek (GA) High School prospects to pick up a Kentucky offer on Tuesday, the other being Isaac Cannizzaro. The two plan to visit Kentucky together at some point this summer, Cannizzaro tells Jacob Polacheck of KSR+. Both of the rising seniors have seen their recruitments boom as of late, particularly Thompson, who received his first Divison I scholarship back in January and has been picking up Power 5 offers ever since. Cannizzaro has only recently jumped on the radar, with several Power 5 schools extending offers since the beginning of this week.

Class of 2025 offers

Ryan Williams (WR) 6-0, 155 | Saraland (Saraland, AL) ALABAMA COMMIT
5-star: No. 4 overall, No. 1 WR

• A top-five rising junior in the entire country, Ryan Williams is one of the most talented players in all of high school football. Nicknamed “Hollywood”, Williams is an elite prospect who committed to Alabama back in October, but he continues to receive offers from all the big-name schools such as Georgia, Texas A&M, Oregon, Texas, USC, TCU, Florida, Notre Dame, and so many more. Kentucky is the latest to try and pry Williams away from the Crimson Tide after Coach Collins and Coach Woodward extended him an offer on Thursday. There’s plenty of reason to believe Williams is still keeping his options open — he’ll visit USC sometime in June. Georgia and Auburn both hosted him for visits during the spring, too.

Jalen Wiggins (DL) 6-5, 235 | James Rickards (Tallahassee, FL)
4-star: No. 35 overall, No. 4 DL

• Another highly-ranked rising junior, Jalen Wiggins is a top 50 prospect in the ’25 class. His Kentucky offer came from defensive line coach Anwar Stewart on Wednesday, adding to a list that already included LSU, Florida State, Miami (FL), Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, and plenty more. Wiggins recorded 70 tackles (19 for loss) and 14 sacks as a sophomore at James Rickards in 2022. Florida and Georgia have the early advantage in this recruitment.

Marcus Harris (WR) 6-1, 175 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
4-star: No. 38 overall, No. 8 WR

• The lone west coast recruit to pick up a Kentucky offer in recent days was Marcus Harris, who is also a top 50 prospect out of 2025. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who was previously the OC for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, extended an offer to the California pass-catcher on Friday. Harris is coming off a visit to Penn State earlier this week and holds additional scholarships from the likes of Georgia, Michigan, Texas, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Miami (FL), Oregon, and plenty more.

Naeshaun Montgomery (WR) 6-3, 175 | Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach, FL) –> KSR+ interview
4-star: No. 96 overall, No. 15 WR

• Our fourth and final Top 100 ’25 prospect to earn a Kentucky offer this week was Naeshaun Montgomery, who announced his scholarship from the Wildcats on Tuesday from inside linebackers coach Mike Stoops. Also on Tuesday, Montgomery announced offers from UCF, UMass, Minnesota, and Rutgers while previously earning ones from Florida, Iowa, Miami (FL), LSU, Ole Miss, Penn State, USC, and several others. He is one of two Cardinal Newman (FL) players who earned UK offers this week.

Parker Meese (LB) 6-2, 215 | Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX) –> KSR interview

• Kentucky doesn’t go into the Longhorn State often but decided to pull the trigger on an offer for Parker Meese on Wednesday. Soon after, Meese told KSR that he “can’t wait to visit” UK in the future and added that he’s expecting associate head coach Vince Marrow to come visit next week in Dallas. Texas A&M, Arkansas, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Michigan, and plenty more have also offered him.

Xavier Thompson (S) 6-2, 170 | Pensacola Catholic (Pensacola, FL)

• Xavier Thompson earned his Kentucky offer on Friday, tagging defensive line coach Anwar Stewart and defensive coordinator Brad White in his announcement tweet. UK is easily his biggest offer yet after previously hauling in ones from the likes of Liberty, Troy, FAU, UMass, USF, and Bethune Cookman. Thompson doubles as a track runner.

Matty Augustine (OT) 6-7, 265 | Brunswick School (Old Greenwich, CT)

• Matty Augustine joined Jadon Lafontant as the second Brunswick (CT) School player to pick up a Kentucky offer this week, which came from Coach Yenser and Coach Woodward, as well. Indiana has also offered Augustine this month, adding to a list that includes plenty of ACC schools such as North Carolina, Duke, Boston College, and Pittsburgh. Clocking in at 6-foot-7, 265 pounds, he’s also an impressive basketball player.

Max Redmon (LB) 6-3, 195 | Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach, FL)

• The second of two Cardinal Newman prospects offered by Kentucky this week was Max Redmon, who announced his scholarship on Tuesday. Since May began, he has also received offers from West Virginia, Minnesota, Iowa, Central Florida, and UMass. While he’s not currently as highly rated as his high school teammate, Naeshaun Montgomery, Redmon is on the verge of blowing up. He’s a multi-sport athlete who also excels at basketball and track.

Ladarian Clardy (S) 6-0, 175 | Escambia (Pensacola, FL)

• On Friday, Coach Collins reached out to Ladarian Clardy with a Kentucky offer, his ninth from a Divison I program but just the second from a Power 5 school, the other being Mississippi State. Clardy visited MSU in the spring, which is when he earned an offer from the Bulldogs. He also visited Auburn around the same time but has yet to receive a scholarship from the Tigers. Like many prospects in this rundown, Clardy also runs track.

Class of 2026 offers

Efrem White (ATH) 6-3, 150 | Vero Beach (Vero Beach, FL) –> KSR+ interview

• Just a rising sophomore, Efrem White figures to be a big-time recruit moving forward. Inside linebackers coach Mike Stoops reached out to White on Wednesday with a UK offer, joining a growing list that features Alabama, Florida State, Miami (FL), West Virginia, Auburn, Tennessee, and several others. White recently told Jacob Polacheck of KSR+ that he’s looking to visit Alabama and Miami (FL) this summer with the possibility of taking a trip to Kentucky, as well.

Javar Bowden (TE) 6-7, 185 | Bay (Panama City, FL)

• Clocking in at an impressive 6-foot-7, 185 pounds as a soon-to-be sophomore, tight end Javar Bowden received news of his Kentucky offer from Coach Stewart on Wednesday. Texas A&M got his recruitment rolling with an offer in January. Bowden has since taken visits in the spring to the likes of Georgia, Miami (FL), and Florida State.