Brian Robinson, Elijah Groves invited to prestigious All-American games
Two blue-chip Kentucky recruits have been tabbed as two of the best high school football players in the country. Four-star EDGE Brian Robinson received an invitation to the Under Armour All-American Game, while four-star linebacker Elijah Groves got an invite to the All-American Bowl, sponsored by Adidas. The Under Armour All-American Game takes place on January 3 in Orlando and the All-American Bowl kicks off a few days later on January 6 in San Antonio.
Robinson is the No. 127 overall player in the 2024 class in the On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He committed to Kentucky on October 4, becoming just the third Top 150 defensive commit in the Mark Stoops era. He picked the Cats over Maryland, Michigan, Penn State, and Tennessee.
“What made Kentucky the right school for me was the consistency. It never changed from day one,” Robinson told On3’s Chad Simmons. “Kentucky was always one of my favorite schools, even when they had other schools crystalballed higher than Kentucky, Kentucky never treated me differently. They never wavered in their consistency. They were the first Power 5 school to offer me.”
Groves is the No. 251 overall player in the 2024 class in the On3 Industry Ranking. The Middle Tennessee native committed to Kentucky on July 1.
Strong defensive haul
Brian Robinson and Elijah Groves are each defensive standouts in Kentucky’s recruiting class which also includes four-star EDGE Jacob Smith, four-star defensive lineman Jerod Smith, and four-star cornerback Terhyon Nichols.
Robinson is the top-ranked prospect in Kentucky’s 2024 recruiting class. What makes B-Rob so special? Adam Luckett broke down his tape earlier this month.
Robinson can shoot gaps and also has the play strength to hold off blockers once he earns inside leverage. The defensive line prospect does a good job finding the football and finishes tackles to the ground. The best thing Robinson does on tape is beat blocks early and create penetration. This should be a translatable skill set when moving to the next level.
Robinson will need some development in the pass rush department, but the prospect owns the size to be a physical run defender who can win quickly off the snap. Burst and play strength should lead to winning moments on the field. There is also a chance that Robinson could outgrow the Jack position and ultimately become a 3-4 defensive end in Kentucky’s scheme playing both four and five techniques on the line of scrimmage.
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Groves is a two-sport star, also playing basketball for East Robertson High School in Cross Plains, Tennessee. His speed is what sets him apart, says Luckett.
Groves has some legitimate twitch that gives him numerous playmaking opportunities. He flashes some big-time closing speed from an off-ball linebacker position, uses instincts to diagnose quickly and then trigger downhill. Groves consistently flashed unique raw athletic tools that give the prospect real playmaking potential.
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