Kentucky No. 13 in ESPN's 2022 Football Recruiting Team Rankings

With the dead period now over, recruits can take official visits and attend camps, setting up a pivotal summer for football and basketball programs across the country. Thankfully, Kentucky’s 2022 class is already off to a great start. ESPN released its new 2022 recruiting team rankings this morning and the Cats are No. 13, fifth best in the SEC and only two spots below Alabama.

Here’s the breakdown from Craig Haubert:

The Wildcats have scored some big victories and had a strong spring on the recruiting trail. They went into bordering Indiana to land top-10 OT Goodwin, a big, strong prospect with good flexibility and balance. Four-star twin brothers Keaten and Destin Wade were big additions out of neighboring Tennessee with Keaten a rangy linebacker and Destin a versatile player who could contribute in multiple roles, including competing for the QB spot. Kentucky has also had some success within its own state with commitments from four-star athlete Treyveon Longmire and high three-star OG Grant Bingham.

No. 13 is nice, but the Cats’ 2022 class ranks even higher in the eyes of other recruiting services. Rivals has Kentucky No. 9 and 247 Sports puts the Cats at No. 11, ahead of Alabama at No. 12. With visits and camps ramping up, the traditional powerhouses will surely make a surge over the course of the summer, but Kentucky’s strong head start and momentum cannot be ignored.

Here’s where Kentucky’s commits stand in ESPN’s rankings.

PLAYER	POS	LOCATION	HT	WT	STARS	GRADE
Kiyaunta Goodwin	#10 OT	Charlestown, IN (Charlestown)	6’7”	300	4-star	85
Keaten Wade	#23 OLB	Spring Hill, TN (Summit)	6’4”	215	4-star	82
Destin Wade	#16 ATH	Spring Hill, TN (Summit)	6’4”	195	4-star	81
Andre Stewart	#32 CB	Snellville, GA (Brookwood)	6’0”	170	4-star	80
Treyveon Longmire	#24 ATH	Corbin, KY (Corbin)	6’2”	170	4-star	80
Grant Bingham	#11 OG	Paintsville, KY (Johnson Central)	6’5”	300	3-star	79
Jeremiah Caldwell	#74 WR	Belleville, MI (Belleville)	6’3”	170	3-star	78
Alex Afari	#36 ATH	West Chester, OH (Lakota West)	6’2”	195	3-star	78
Josh Kattus	#24 TE-Y	Cincinnati, OH (Moeller)	6’4”	235	3-star	75
Jackson Smith	K	Danville, KY (Boyle County)	5’11”	170

Ohio State is No. 1 in ESPN’s rankings, followed by Georgia at No. 2, and LSU No. 3. From the SEC, Texas A&M is No. 7, Alabama No. 11, Missouri No. 14, Arkansas No. 17, Mississippi State No. 20, and Florida No. 21. SEC gonna SEC.

[ESPN 2022 College Football Recruiting Class Rankings]