Transfer OT Xavier Bausley looking to make "quick decision" following Kentucky visit

After making the 2023 CUSA All-Freshman Team as a redshirt freshman at Jacksonville State, Xavier Bausley is now looking to make his mark in the big leagues.

Bausley, a 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive lineman, entered his name into the transfer portal on Dec. 20. It didn’t take long for plenty of big-name schools to reach out once he did. But’s he focusing on just three moving forward: Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh. All three will receive official visits from Bausley starting on Wednesday and continuing through Sunday.

Kentucky will get the last visit. Outside of an AAU tournament he participated in during his childhood, this will be his first time in Lexington. The plan is to spend Saturday and Sunday getting the full Kentucky football experience before making a final decision in the days after. Bausley will meet his primary recruiter, offensive line coach Zach Yenser, for the first time in person during this trip.

“His pitch was a lot of schools might be trying to recruit you for depth but you have a chance to play here. You have a chance to win that starting spot,” Bausley told KSR about his conversations with Yenser. “That’s the main pitch. He knows I’m like two hours from Lexington so he’s using that to his advantage as well. The moment I entered the portal, Kentucky is calling me already. You could tell they’re very interested, offered me as soon as we got on the phone. It was a quick process but he’s kept up with me. He’s called me almost every day, just checking in on me and my family. We’re building a great relationship.”

Excited to announce I will be visiting the University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, and The University of Kentucky for my official visits! pic.twitter.com/nIGjVIq8o9

— Xavier Bausley (@BausleyXavier) December 29, 2023

It only took a couple of days after Kentucky offered Bausley to set up his official visit with the Wildcats. A primary reason why he’s down to UK, West Virginia, and Pitt is due to proximity. Bausley hails from Charlestown, WV. He’s a 45-minute drive from Ashland, KY, and even recalls always seeing Kentucky shirts whenever he’d travel through the city. Bausley will visit Pitt from Jan. 3-4 and WVU from Jan. 4-5 before heading to UK this weekend.

Being closer to home was a major factor in his decision to transfer in the first place. He says that some Pac-12 schools reached out once he entered the portal, but his heart is set on being near family.

“I’m a big family person,” Bausley said. “We have a large family and it was weird being away from everybody for the first time in my life. I learned a lot and became a lot more independent in doing so, but I still want to be around my family. They enjoy coming to my games and they were only able to make it to about two of my games (at Jacksonville State).”

Speaking of his time at Jacksonville State, Bausley was terrific as the Gamecocks’ right tackle in 2023. He started 11 games and was a key piece in Jacksonville State averaging over 236 rushing yards per game — third in all of Division I football this season. Bausley posted a PFF grade of 73.3 and registered over 900 snaps on the offensive line.

Considering classes for the spring semester begin next week, Bausley expects this to be a “quick decision” once he wraps up his trio of visits. A two-hour car ride back home from Lexington will provide plenty of time to mull over a decision. Regardless of where he lands, he’ll have three years of college eligibility remaining.