Kentucky freshman Destin Wade is settling in at quarterback

Kentucky does not have a quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class. As of right now, it doesn’t appear that will change as signing day is just four months away. That means true freshman Destin Wade could have a golden opportunity.

The Spring Hill (Tenn.) Summit product was a four-star prospect who committed to Kentucky along with his twin brother, Keaten, in the class of 2022. Serving as a big recruiting win in Tennessee’s backyard, the Wildcats have big plans for both Wades.

Keaten Wade is already pushing for some playing time at EDGE playing for defensive coordinator Brad White. Destin Wade is looking to prove that he can play quarterback in the SEC. The rookie has made an early impression on offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello.

“I would say based on what I evaluated him he probably throws the ball a little bit better than I expected,” Scangarello said about the freshman quarterback. “Which is a promising sign. We know he’s a good athlete, we know he’s a leader, we know he’s competitive.”

Wade led his high school to a state title as a junior and a state runner-up finish as a senior. In 2021, Wade was named Mr. Football for the largest classification in Tennessee high school football. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound quarterback was a run-first option as the prospect rushed for 2,308 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior.

However, Kentucky is giving the top-flight athlete a chance to play quarterback. Following the departure of Beau Allen, the Cats are all of a sudden very thin at quarterback. Despite this, a redshirt season appears to be the plan for Wade.

“Fortunately for him, we’re in no rush to play him,” Scangarello said. “I think it’s hard — in this offense for sure — to play a true freshman that hasn’t been here in the spring. He’s got a role to play. He’s going to be huge on the scout team for us this year.”

Wade will get a year of development and will then likely be involved in a wide-open quarterback competition next spring and fall following the departure of Will Levis. Regardless, the young player brings positional versatility to the team and could succeed in a variety of roles at Kentucky. But first, the freshman is attempting to play quarterback. He’s got the attention of his position coach.

“So far, I’ve been impressed with him as a person and a player,” said Scangarello.