Kentucky Outlook: 2022 offensive commitments

There is still a lot of football to be played in 2021. The Wildcats have a couple of big games remaining as Kentucky looks to lock in a New Year’s Day bowl game. However, recruiting never stops.

We are just a month away from the early signing day arriving on Dec. 15. During that time, the Kentucky football staff will push for most of their current verbal commitments to sign and officially become members of the football program.

Currently, the Wildcats have the No. 15 overall class in the On3 Consensus with 16 verbal commitments. Over half of those players are four or five stars getting the program over the 50 percent threshold in the blue-chip ratio.

Kentucky has a chance to make a big splash with this haul. On the offensive side of the football, there are some potential difference makers.

Quarterback

After missing out on Owensboro (Ky.) High four-star quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, the Wildcats decided not to pursue another top-shelf option. There was a time when top-50 recruit Drew Allar looked like an option, but the Ohio native is headed to Penn State.

Four-star Destin Wade will get a chance to play quarterback in Lexington. The Metro Nashville native is a terrific athlete who has rushed for 1,809 yards and 25 touchdowns this season for undefeated Spring Hill (Tenn.) Summit High. Wade has 13 touchdown passes but is passing the ball less than nine times per game for his undefeated team.

Kentucky is going to give him a crack at quarterback, but there’s little doubt that the 6-3, 207-pound athlete will be a successful SEC player somewhere on the field.

Overall, Kentucky could return all four of its scholarship quarterbacks — Will Levis, Beau Allen, Nik Scalzo, Kaiya Sheron — to campus next season highlighted by its QB1 returning to the lineup.

Tailback

On the current roster, Kentucky has seven scholarship running backs, and none of them are seniors. A draft decision likely awaits Chris Rodriguez Jr., and losing a player or two to the portal is always a possibility.

Louisville (Ky.) DuPont Manual running back Jawaun Northington has always been an option for Kentucky, but the Wildcats have yet to go all-in. Outside of that, there do not appear to be any top targets.

The running back situation could be something that is addressed after the December signing day. Don’t be surprised if Kentucky adds a tailback late, stays put, or dips into the transfer portal. The outcome likely won’t be determined until the football season is over.

Wide receiver

Liam Coen was hired to fix Kentucky’s passing game. The Wildcats needed upgrades at quarterback and wide receiver. Recruiting is the only way to do that.

Kentucky has aggressively attacked their needs at receiver.

Four-stars Dane Key, Treyveon Longmire, and Jordan Anthony have all joined the class. Low three-star Brandon White is also in the fold. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are making a big push for top-50 recruit Barion Brown.

Speed has been heavily targeted in this class while Key is an isolation X receiver Kentucky desperately needs on its roster. After a strong 2021 haul with a trio of quality receivers, Kentucky is following that up with another strong class in 2022.

The receiver group could soon become a position of strength for the program.

Tight end

We’ve seen some two-tight sets become a heavily utilized personnel grouping in the new offense, and Kentucky is recruiting like that will not be going away anytime soon.

During the season, the Wildcats moved wide receivers Izayah Cummings and Tre’Von Morgan to Vince Marrow’s position room to give them more chances for playing time at tight end.

After the season, super senior Justin Rigg will depart, but Kentucky will return redshirt seniors Brenden Bates and Keaton Upshaw. The latter could make a big splash after missing this year for injury. Meanwhile, true freshman Jordan Dingle looks to have a bright future.

On the recruiting trail, Kentucky landed three-star Josh Kattus out of Cincinnati Moeller, and the 235-pound tight end has big-time blocking potential.

Kentucky has a very healthy situation at tight end. The group could be the best positional unit on the team in 2022.

Tackle

Darian Kinnard will be off to the NFL following the season, and redshirt junior Dare Rosenthal will have a draft decision to make. Kentucky faces some big offseason questions at offensive tackle.

The Wildcats really needed to pull in some strong commitments at this position. Luckily, there was a five-star in their own backyard.

Louisville native Kiyaunta Goodwin is the No. 14 player in the country and the mammoth offensive tackle (6-8, 325) remains committed to Kentucky. Alabama is coming on strong, but the Wildcats still have a great chance at signing the highest-ranked recruit of the Mark Stoops era.

Losing four-star Aamil Wagner to Notre Dame really stung as that was a potential insurance option if the Wildcats lost Goodwin. However, high three-star Nikolas Hall was a strong pull out of Texas, and the legacy recruit also has great size (6-6, 309).

Goodwin remains Kentucky’s top priority at the position, but the Wildcats could use another body here even if the five-star remains committed. The transfer portal could be an option or the Wildcats could try to flip four-star Daughtry Richardson from Florida State or three-star Grayson Morgan from Vanderbilt.

However, those tasks could be difficult. Don’t be surprised if a new target emerges in the next few weeks as Kentucky really needs to address its depth issue at offensive tackle.

Interior O-Line

Super senior Luke Fortner will be gone after this season, and redshirt senior Austin Dotson could also decide to leave. However, Kentucky will return both starting guards Eli Cox and Kenneth Horsey next year to go along with reserve Quintin Wilson. With talented true freshman Jager Burton waiting for an opportunity, depth doesn’t appear to be a huge issue here.

Kentucky was able to land four-star Grant Bingham out of Paintsville (Ky.) Johnson Central and the 310-pound prospect looks like a guard at the next level.

As long as there is not a surprising transfer from the room, Kentucky should be just fine at center and guard next year even if Fortner leaves some big shoes to fill.

Outlook

Heading into the final month, Kentucky appears to be in pretty good shape on offense. The Wildcats are fine at quarterback but will need to hit a home run in 2023 to create a succession plan for Will Levis. Meanwhile, depth is strong at running back, tight end, and offensive guard.

The Wildcats did a great job at addressing their needs at wide receiver, and adding Barion Brown could give the offense a difference-maker from the jump along with some other quality players.

Tackle remains the biggest worry area heading into the last month. If Goodwin sticks with Kentucky everything will be fine, but if he flips the Wildcats now have no real legitimate backup option. Aamil Wagner was that, and the Ohio native is heading to Notre Dame.

Keep the five-star in the fold, and Kentucky will have checked every needed box on offense with a big decision on quarterback looming in the 2023 class. However, that’s a big if at the moment.

Vince Marrow and the rest of the coaching staff must close strong on the big-time offensive tackle.