Big Board: Top Defensive Prospects at Kentucky Football Camp

On3 imageby:Adam Luckett06/15/21

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One day after touching on the prominent offensive products at Kentucky’s latest showcase camp, we shift over to the other side of the football.

Brad White is entering his third season as the unit’s defensive coordinator as Kentucky could have as many as 9 or 10 senior starters when the team takes the field this season. However, that means some immediate turnover approaching and roster spots must be filled.

At the most recent major summer recruiting event, Kentucky had plenty of front seven talent participating. Here are the names to get familiar with.

Seven Cloud

Measurables: 6-2, 320

Home: Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern

Class: 2023

Current recruitment: Committed to Georgia but Kentucky offered on Sunday after a strong camp performance.

Skinny: Cloud committed to Georgia in January despite being 23 months away from the 2023 national signing day. Even with the pledge, the nose tackle prospect is making his camp rounds this summer. Defensive line coach Anwar Stewart continues to make recruiting inroads in Metro Atlanta.

Adrian Griffin

Measurables: 6-3, 268

Home: Fairfield (Ala.) Preparatory School

Class: 2023

Current recruitment: Has offers from Kentucky, Tennessee, Maryland, and UAB. Camped at both Mississippi State and Kentucky this month.

Skinny: After a strong performance, inside linebackers coach Jon Sumrall issued an offer to Griffin on Sunday night. KSR caught up with the defensive lineman who came away very impressed with Lexington.

Kendrick Gilbert

Measurables: 6-4, 268

Home: Indianapolis Cathedral

Class: 2023

Current recruitment: Has seven Power Five offers — Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Purdue.

Skinny: One of the midwest’s top defensive line prospects, Gilbert has blown up on the camp circuit receiving four offers this month. The Fighting Irish might be out to an early lead, but Kentucky is going to make a run at Gilbert.

Saadik Clements 

Measurables: 6-3, 279

Home: Henderson (Ky.) County

Class: 2023

Current recruitment: Kentucky and Purdue have issued offers.

Skinny: Clements is a two-way player for Henderson County, but it appears that the Kentucky coaching staff likes the Western Kentucky native on the defensive side. Clements flashed some really good speed at camp showing that this is a prospect with some real potential.

Tommy Ziesmer

Measurables: 6-1, 237

Home: Danville (Ky.) Boyle County

Class: 2023

Tommy Ziesmer - Edge - Kentucky

(Tommy Ziesmer/Instagram)

Current recruitment: Has offers from Louisville, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Purdue. Camped at Ohio State, Clemson, and Kentucky this month. Ziesmer will visit West Virginia.

Skinny: Early indications are that Ziesmer will be one of Kentucky’s top in-state prospects in the class of ’23. The edge player has speed, long arms, and very good positional athleticism. Expect the Wildcats to heavily pursue this Boyle County Rebel.

Jeremiah Collins

Measurables: 6-0, 145

Home: Louisville (Ky.) Male

Class: 2023

Current recruitment: Collins has camped at both Louisville and Kentucky with each in-state school offering according to 247 Sports. Purdue has also thrown its hat in the ring.

Skinny: With a mess going on at Louisville, Kentucky is looking to dig into the state’s biggest city. Collins is another prospect to monitor at Male.

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2024-03-28