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Kentucky Football Weekly Commitment Recap

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UK Athletics

The dice are hot as Kentucky has made a huge splash this week to improve the 2023 roster.

Adding top transfers and great high school players to improve a recruiting class that seemed bleak just a few weeks ago. Once outside the top 50, Kentucky’s recruiting class is now up to No. 39 via 247Sports and No. 6 in the transfer portal.

With that said, the staff isn’t done either, but let’s check out the players that have committed to Kentucky this past week.

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Note: Rankings from 247Sports.

Khamari Anderson (Tight End, Detroit, MI)

High School Ranking: ★★★, No. 24 TE, No. 454 Overall

Anderson is a monster that comes from a UK pipeline in the making, Cass Tech in Detroit, who produced Deandre Square and Deone Walker. Anderson is a 6’4 230 pound tight end ranked as the 25th tight end in the class of 2023.

With a 6-foot-4, 225 frame, Anderson can be great in the Kentucky offense helping to be elite in the passing game. With Liam Coen and his playcalling, Kentucky’s offense will warrant fantastic tight end play, and that’s what he brings to a talented position group already.

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Max DeGraff (Kicker, Lexington, KY)

High School Ranking: N/A

Coming out of Lexington Catholic, DeGraff is the 65th-rated kicker in the 2023 class with a 4.5-star rating, according to Kohl’s Kicking – a training academy that specializes in kicking.

Kohl’s Kicking notes that DeGraff is smooth with his leg swing and has improving power, which could help the special teams unit after the struggles they had this past season. He joins punter Carter Schwartz from Trinity High School in Louisville as the second kicking prospect for the Wildcats in the class.

Lincoln Billiter (Tight End, Pikeville, KY)

High School Ranking: N/A

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Playing both tight end and linebacker for Shelby Valley this season, Billiter committed to the Wildcats over Louisville, EKU, and other programs including Harvard and Yale.

Along with his 6-foot-4, 260-pound frame, Billiter brings a very physical skill set to Kentucky as a tight end to help us in the blocking game, especially during goal-line situations.

Marques Cox (Left Tackle, Northern Illinois)

High School Ranking (2018): ★★★, No. 119 OT, No. 1306 overall
Transfer Ranking: ★★★, No. 51 OT

With a 6-foot-6, 310-pound frame, Marques Cox has the size to play in the SEC. Originally from Illinois, Cox a 3-star prospect out of high school in 2018. He is a fantastic tackle for Northern Illinois who had his season cut short against Kentucky in their game in September.

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Last season, PFF awarded Cox a 66.8 overall grade but an 88.8 in pass blocking this year. For reference, the top overall tackle graded at 85.6 in pass blocking. In addition, per PFF data, the left tackle has given up just three sacks in his career on 1,052 pass snaps

Given their struggles on the offensive line in 2022, Cox is a huge addition for the Wildcats and will likely be a day 1 starter that will help try to rebuild the Big Blue Wall.

JQ Hardaway (Cornerback, Cincinnati)

High School Ranking (2022): ★★★★, No. 27 Safety, No. 340 overall
Transfer Ranking: ★★★★, No. 3 CB

Originally a recruit in the 2022 class, Hardaway was a 4-star recruit that committed to Cincinnati over multiple SEC schools. In his only season at Cincy, he played 95 defensive snaps getting 7 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.

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With the loss of Carrington Valentine to the NFL Draft, Hardaway was a key get for the Wildcats to help fill the gap of the NFL prospect. Hardaway brings a lot of size at corner at 6-foot-3, 200-pounds, and is a great get for an SEC defense.

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Déjà Blue: Two Former Wildcats Find Their Way Back to Lexington

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Elliott Hess | UK Athletics

Just one day after the spring transfer window opened on April 16, Kentucky football landed two familiar names: former commits Lorenzo Cowan and Hardley Gilmore IV, who both found their way back to Lexington after brief stints elsewhere.

Cowan, a 6-foot-3 edge rusher from Savannah, Georgia, originally committed to Kentucky on Sept. 10, 2023, but after picking up an offer from Southern California just three months later, he decommitted and left Lexington for Los Angeles.

As originally reported by Pete Nakos, Cowan turned back for Lexington after a redshirt season with USC and Gilmore came back after transferring to Nebraska in the winter portal.

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Gilmore, a 6-foot-1 wide receiver, committed to play for Mark Stoops and the Wildcats on Aug. 25, 2023, but after just one season in the blue and white, transferred to Nebraska alongside Dane Key, who both followed former Kentucky wide receivers coach Daikiel Shorts Jr. to Lincoln.

Now, nearly two years since their original commitments, Cowan and Gilmore find themselves reunited with coach Stoops and BBN once again.

Amid a landscape of college football where players often take off without looking back, Cowan and Gilmore’s returns are rare. These guys didn’t commit to Kentucky just once – they made the decision to do it again.

So, what kind of impact will their return have, and how do they fit into the Wildcats roster?

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After the end of a disappointing 4-8 season, Kentucky’s wide receiver room has undergone a complete overhaul. The loss of starters Dane Key and Barion Brown via the transfer portal to Nebraska and LSU respectively, along with the loss of Anthony Brown-Stephens has left plenty of room for competition heading into camp this summer.

Adding to the disaster, former Louisiana Tech wide receiver, Tru Edwards, who committed to Kentucky in January, will also not be able to suit up for the 2025 season as the NCAA declared that he has used up all of his eligibility.

With that in mind, it’s looking that Gilmore will likely be taking on a significant role as the Z receiver in the Wildcat offense lining up alongside J.J. Hester at X and Ja’Mori Maclin at Y. This expanded opportunity likely played a key role in luring him back to Lexington after transferring to Nebraska for just a three month stint.

In his true freshman season at Kentucky, Gilmore turned heads in fall camp before a broken collarbone sidelined him for the first half of the season. Over the five games he played, he totaled six receptions for 153 yards and one touchdown – a 52-yard score in Kentucky’s blowout win against Murray State in week 10.

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On the other side of the ball, Lorenzo Cowan could also take on a meaningful role within Kentucky’s defensive front.

The versatile edge rusher fits well into defensive coordinator Brad White’s scheme, particularly as the ‘Cats look to replace key departures and reload their pass rush following a wave of departures – Deone Walker to the NFL, Keeshawn Silver to the transfer portal and J.J. Weaver, Tre-Vonn Rybka and Octavious Oxendine to graduation.

Preserving his redshirt status, Cowan didn’t appear in a game during his stint at USC, meaning that the high-upside pass rusher will return to Lexington with four full years of eligibility remaining.

Cowan is expected to line up opposite Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace, a 6-foot-4 265 pound junior transfer from South Dakota and the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

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Together, the duo will bring a blend of youth and experience on the edge, and both are expected to play pivotal roles in helping reshape a defensive front that lost several key veteran contributors in the offseason.

As Kentucky looks to bounce back from an underwhelming season and a turbulent offseason, the returns of Cowan and Gilmore offer more than just depth – they bring familiarity, upside and a sense of unfinished business to Lexington.

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Four-Star Commit Andrew Purcell Talks About Why He Chose Kentucky, “They Truly Care About Me as a Person”

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2024 four-star Kentucky football commit Andrew Purcell talks about why he chose Kentucky and what he is brining to the team.
UK Athletics

With Kentucky Football coming off an excruciating one-point loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, let’s look ahead to some recruiting. The 2025 Recruiting Class is already taking place for Mark Stoops and company.  The class is currently sitting at #25 in the country and #11 in the conference.   

This past week Kentucky Insider had the opportunity to sit down with four-star ATH/CB Andrew Purcell. Andrew attends Enterprise High School located in Enterprise, AL. He is ranked as the 25th-best ATH in the Country.  

Purcell was also on campus this past weekend for an official visit and in attendance for the showdown against Georgia. 

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Andrew Purcell comes in at just 5-foot9, 185 Pounds. However, he is very explosive with huge, big play ability. He is a dual sport athlete who is a successful basketball player and track runner. He attributes a lot of this to his incredible athleticism on the field.  

Purcell had offers from many Blue Blood programs such as Georgia, Miami, Clemson, and Florida among many others. When asked about what separated Kentucky from these other programs, Purcell said “Just the communication part, my connection with the Coaching Staff. They contacted me daily and that really separated them.”  

This is a common statement from many recruits on Mark Stoops and the rest of the coaching staff. When asked about his lead recruiter he said that Defensive Backs coach, Chris Collins was primarily the guy whom he remained in close contact with.  

There were many factors going into his ultimate decision to attend the University of Kentucky. However, when asked what made the decision much easier, he said, “I just loved everything about the school. They didn’t just care about #4, but they truly cared about me as a person.”  

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Purcell also described himself as a “hard worker” and with these qualities, it will be hard for the Big Blue Nation not to enjoy getting to see him on the field.  

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Four-Star Safety, Top 200 Recruit Martels Carter Jr. Commits to Kentucky

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2025 Four-star safety Martels Carter Jr commits to Kentucky Wildcats over Auburn, Colorado, and Louisville.
UK Athletics

YAHTZEE!

The Kentucky Wildcats have added the top-ranked player in the state and one of the top safeties in the country to their 2025 recruiting class.

On Saturday, Martels Carter Jr. announced his commitment to the Wildcats!

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“BBN I’M HOME”

A unanimous 4-star prospect and top 20 safety nationally, Carter chose the Cats over finalists Auburn Tigers, Colorado Buffalo, and Louisville. He also held offers from some of the biggest programs in the sport, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Oregon among others.

Originally from Chattanooga, TN, Carter moved to Paducah last summer where he starred for Paducah Tilghman High School, helping them to an undefeated regular season and a deep run in the 4A state playoffs, falling in the semifinals.

While it’s okay to celebrate his commitment, it will still be a battle until signing day. Auburn is seen as Kentucky’s biggest threat with Carter planning multiple visits, and he also has a family connection to Deion Sander’s Colorado program.

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That said, he will almost certainly take an official visit to Kentucky this fall. Vince Marrow has made Carter a priority of this class and will do everything in his power to retain the talented defensive back.

Carter makes the sixth commitment for Kentucky’s 2025 class, to go along with two talented offensive players and fellow four-star recruits Quintin Simmons Jr (WR) and Marquise Davis (RB).

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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