Tackle Big Board: Where Kentucky sits at critical position
Kentucky enters the 2024 season with three senior scholarship tackles on the roster. Marques Cox, Courtland Ford, and Gerald Mincey are each entering their final season of eligibility. We should expect Kentucky to address the position when the transfer portal re-opens again in December, but this program must start doing a better job of backfilling the position in high school recruiting.
Malachi Wood is the only true scholarship tackle on the roster who was signed as a high school prospect. New offensive line coach Eric Wolford is now being tasked with reloading this position room. In the 2025 recruiting cycle, Kentucky needs to add multiple tackles.
The Wildcats do not have any prospects in the fold heading into official visits in June, but that could change quickly. Before the party gets started in Lexington in just a few short weeks, KSR+ is taking a look at where Kentucky’s tackle board sits entering a critical time in the recruiting calendar.
Targets
Jermiel Atkins (6-8, 270)
The Trotwood (Ohio) Madison tackle was offered by Kentucky in February and currently has official visits scheduled with Arizona State, Virginia Tech, and Minnesota. Atkins is a monstrous tackle prospect who Kentucky could make a bigger push for this summer.
Bryan Auguste (6-6, 285)
The South Florida native has official visit dates locked in with Boston College (June 7-9) and Kentucky (June 14-16). Auguste received an offer from Kentucky in February and could be someone the Wildcats make a big push for over the next few weeks.
Jayden Clark (6-5, 300)
The Clayton (Ohio) Northmont product has official visits locked in with Cincinnati and Indiana, but his recruitment has been quiet over the last month. Vince Marrow offered the three-star prospect in January. Clark does not appear to be at the top of Kentucky’s board at the moment.
Jim Harris (6-5, 295)
Cincinnati will get the first official visit for the Muskegon (Mich.) High tackle and Kentucky has kicked the tires on Harris but has not made a big push yet. That could change if some other prospects come off the board.
Taren Hedrick (6-5, 305)
A high three-star recruit from South Florida has locked in five official visits with Ole Miss getting the first and Kentucky getting the last. Florida, Texas A&M, and Purdue are also scheduled to get visits. Hedrick received a scholarship offer from Kentucky in February.
Intel: Hedrick’s recruitment appears to be wide-open with no true leader heading into his official visits. Being the last official visit is not a good thing many times, but in this battle, it could be a good opportunity to make a big impression before practice begins.
Darrin Strey (6-6, 295)
The top-500 recruit out of Paw Paw (Mich.) High has a busy few weeks ahead with visits locked in with Cincinnati (May 31-June 2), Kentucky (June 7-9), Wisconsin (June 14-16), and Stanford (June 21-23). Strey got an early official visit complete with Illinois. Louisville, Northwestern, and Ole Miss are also involved. Strey is one of the top targets on Kentucky’s board.
Intel: The race appears to be wide-open for Strey, but Kentucky sits in a good spot getting the second official visit when the big stretch run begins next weekend. Look for the Wildcats to make a big commitment push for the massive-sized tackle prospect.
N-Kye Wynn (6-5, 265)
The Muskegon (Mich.) High prospect will be in Lexington for Kentucky’s huge official visit weekend (June 7-9) and is a prospect to monitor closely. Michigan State and Pittsburgh also have official visits locked in with Wynn. The in-state Spartans appear to be Kentucky’s toughest current competition in this recruitment.
Intel: Wynn is currently one of Kentucky’s top options at tackle, and getting the three-star prospect on campus for the official visit weekend which will also include Javeon Campbell, Stone Saunders, Darrin Strey, Spike Sowells, and Tucker Kattus is significant. All of Kentucky’s top offensive line targets will be on campus together as the Wildcats attempt to make a big push.
A big June awaits
Kentucky does not have a tackle commitment yet, but one could be coming soon. Heading into the summer, Darrin Strey and N-Kye Wynn stand out as top prospects and offensive line coach Eric Wolford will likely make a big push to land each Michigan native during their official visits in June. Kentucky is in a good spot in each recruitment with some Big Ten programs emerging as the top competition.
However, there are some quality secondary options also out there.
Jermiel Atkins is an intriguing prospect due to his size, Bryan Auguste feels like someone who Kentucky could get into the 2025 class with a push, and Taren Hedrick is an intriguing recruit with a wide-open recruitment.
Kentucky has options, but the June 7-9 weekend looms large.
The post Tackle Big Board: Where Kentucky sits at critical position appeared first on On3.
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