Tavion Wallace, brother of Kentucky LB Trevin Wallace, is already a top 50 recruit

Kentucky football junior linebacker Trevin Wallace is off to an All-SEC caliber start to the 2023 season. He’s already registered 24 total tackles (15 solo), 5.0 tackles for loss, a career-high 3.5 sacks (most in the SEC), and one forced fumble through just three games. He came to Lexington as a high-end four-star recruit and a top 75 prospect in the country from the class of 2021. Kentucky did everything it could to land him at the last second and it’s paying off right in front of our eyes.

Wallace also has a younger brother who might project as an even better football player.

Tavion Wallace is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound linebacker out of Jesup (GA) Wayne County, the same high school Trevin attended. Although Tavion is still in the early stages of his recruitment as a member of the 2025 class, he’s already being courted by some of the nation’s top programs. He holds offers from the likes of Southern California, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Ohio State, South Carolina, LSU, Florida State, and too many more to name.

Kentucky is one of them though, having extended an offer back in Nov. 2022. But getting both Wallace brothers to Lexington is going to be a tougher task than it was just to get Trevin on board the first time around. Tavion is already considered the No. 48 overall high school junior in the country, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, with plenty of coaches in his ear.

Elite 2025 LB Tavion Wallace has an early favorite, but numerous top programs are on his radar: https://t.co/XkI8xpc7vn (On3+) pic.twitter.com/E5z08VlsV6

— ChadSimmons (@ChadSimmons_) September 20, 2023

In fact, Florida State is the team leading the charge right now. According to On3’s Director of Recruiting, Chad Simmons, Tavion says that the Seminoles are “on top of my list right now”. He visited campus once in June and then returned in July, having developed a quick bond with the FSU coaching staff. Simmons reports that LSU and Auburn (the school Trevin nearly went with before choosing UK) are also near the top of his priority list.

With that in mind, Kentucky appears to be behind the eight-ball at this stage. Simmons did mention the Wildcats as being “on his list too” but also mentioned the likes of Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, and Southern California as other schools involved with Tavion. It should be noted that Wallace’s only visit of the season so far was to UK. The ‘Cats also made his “top nine” schools list earlier this month, but there is clearly work to be done.

“I learned a lot from my brother and he tells me to take my time, do what I feel is best for me and pay attention to all of the little things. Things are just getting started,” Tavion told Simmons.

This is big boy recruiting for Kentucky. The staff pulled it off with Trevin a few years ago. Can they do the same with Tavion? There’s a long way to go. UK will look to be involved until the very end.

Amaree Williams also has Kentucky ties

Tavion Wallace isn’t the only highly-rated recruit with a significant connection to the Kentucky football program. Four-star class of 2025 EDGE Amaree Williams, the son of legendary UK running back Moe Williams, is another target for the Wildcats’ coaching staff.

Williams, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound beast out of Palm Beach Gardens (FL) The Benjamin School, is ranked No. 78 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking. His offer sheet already includes the likes of Florida (the perceived leader at this stage), South Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Florida State, Georgia, Miami (FL), Penn State, and plenty, plenty more.

As they often do, the Kentucky staff was on Williams before most, even extending him his first Division I scholarship all the way back in May 2022. He took an unofficial visit the following month and has been on the rise ever since. That was the last time he was in Lexington for a visit, although that will change here soon. Williams posted his fall schedule to social media on Tuesday, indicating that he’ll be in attendance for the Kentucky-Alabama matchup at Kroger Field on Nov. 11. He’ll also be at Georgia on Oct. 7 when the Wildcats head to Athens.

So far, Kentucky has just one commit locked in for the 2025 cycle with three-star QB Stone Saunders. But there will clearly be opportunities to add blue-chip pieces around him. Wallace and Williams could help kick-start that movement.