Two more '24 football prospects schedule official visits to Kentucky

As we inch closer to a massive, month-long hosting of official visitors for Kentucky football, more names continue to emerge as expected arrivals.

The first name to note is class of 2024 three-star EDGE Antwan Smith out of Atlanta (GA) Westlake. Smith informed KSR on Tuesday that he intends to take an official visit to Kentucky this weekend, June 9-11, joining an already talented list of recruits. This is currently the only OV scheduled for Smith, who is considered the No. 663 overall rising senior and No. 43 EDGE, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Kentucky initially offered Smith (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) back in February when defensive line coach Anwar Stewart reached out with a scholarship. Communication died down soon after but picked back up in the spring after members of the staff came to visit him in April. They’ve been in touch ever since.

“The coaching staff that is there,” Smith said in reference to what he likes about Kentucky. “From what I’ve heard and seen, they’ve been put in positions to have success and win and they have accomplished those things. And just knowing that it’s coaches like that taking notice and telling me about my game, it just means a lot because it means that I’m doing the right things.”

NC State, Duke, and Vanderbilt are also involved, but Kentucky receiving his only official visit at this point is notable.

Secondly, class of 2024 inside offensive lineman Jadon Lafontant has four upcoming official visits planned for the rest of June. He’s already taken an OV to Pittsburgh, which happened over the weekend, but will make future visits to Boston College (June 9), Kentucky (June 13), Duke (June 16), and Vanderbilt (June 23), his head coach at Old Greenwich (CT) Brunswick School tells KSR.

Lafontant, who clocks in at 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, isn’t rated by the On3 Industry Ranking at this time, but 247Sports does consider him a three-star and a top 100 offensive lineman from the ’24 class. Kentucky only recently offered the northeastern product when offensive coordinator Liam Coen (who is familiar with the area) reached out with a scholarship in May.

Kevin Heywood commits to Wisconsin

It’s not all good news for the Wildcats, however. Four-star class of 2024 offensive tackle Kevin Heywood, who was originally scheduled to officially visit Kentucky this weekend, announced his commitment to Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

The 6-foot-7, 295-pound Heywood is considered a top 300 rising senior in the nation, per the On3 Industry Ranking. He took his official visit to the Badgers over the weekend and didn’t waste much time pulling the trigger on a commitment. Heywood was also set to OV at Auburn and Southern California this month, but all of his expected trips for the rest of this month appear unlikely to happen.

Committed. @CoachFick @CoachBicknell @CoachHitsch @CoachPhilLongo @BCstrength @PatLambert13 @_maximus347 @nolanrucci @CullenLCasey @CaseyRabach_61 @MikeWakins pic.twitter.com/QuASQN786M

— Kevin Heywood (@KevHeywood52) June 6, 2023