Family feel, Ohio connections led 4-star RB Marquise Davis to choose Kentucky

Marquise Davis‘ commitment to Kentucky came as a shock to just about everyone, especially with the timing of the announcement. The Wildcats were always in contention, and Davis even visited Lexington multiple times in April, but Michigan continued to trend as the favorite. Between On3, 247Sports, and Rivals, six different reporters logged picks in favor of the Wolverines since April 23.

But a little over a week later, Davis chose Kentucky. Why? The relationship he built with associate head coach Vince Marrow — an Ohio native just like himself — and the family bond he felt with Mark Stoops’ program.

“It just felt like home. The personal standpoint, everybody was really welcoming, showed me the most love. They all from Ohio, so like why not?” Davis said Wednesday morning after committing to UK on KSR. “I wanted to be around somebody I can trust.“

Davis’ recruitment with Kentucky goes back nearly two years now. Marrow extended him an offer in June 2022, his fifth from a Divison I school and first from the SEC. Ohio State got in the mix in Jan. 2023 with an offer before Michigan did the same in May 2023.

But all of those Ohio connections — not just Marrow, but a good chunk of UK’s staff is from Ohio, in particular Youngstown — worked in the Wildcats’ favor. Davis suits up for Cleveland (OH) Heights High School.

Looking ahead, Davis has three official visits on the docket. His trip to Kentucky is set for the weekend of June 14. He also has visits to Michigan (June 7) and Tennessee (June 21). It’s yet to be seen if he’ll go through with those two.

Regardless, Davis is locked in with Kentucky. Ranked as a four-star and the No. 183 overall prospect in the 2025 class by the On3 Industry Ranking, he’s automatically the highest-rated running back commit in the Stoops era.

“I’d say my speed plays a big factor in the way I play,” Davis said. “I weigh around 206 (pounds) and I can move like I’m 190.”

Kentucky is up to six commitments now in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Four of the six are from Ohio with the other two coming from Pennsylvania. That group ranks 27th in the country.