Kentucky Can Make Significant Impression with In-State Recruits vs. Ole Miss

The best college football programs make sure the most talented high school players from their respective state do not leave the state. Mark Stoops did just that over the last eight years by deploying Vince Marrow to recruit the Commonwealth. When Marrow left for Louisville, many assumed Kentucky would concede in-state recruiting to the Cards.

Not so fast, my friend.

Kentucky is gearing up for its first significant recruiting weekend of the 2025 season. The Wildcats are bringing in plenty of players committed in the 2026 class, and one of their top targets committed elsewhere. They also have their sights set on 2027 and beyond, bringing in some of the best from around the state of Kentucky to this marquee matchup against Ole Miss.

[KSR Plus: Kentucky has a Loaded List of Recruits for the Ole Miss Game]

Marrow first offered Ja’Hyde Brown a scholarship to Kentucky when he was an eighth grader. Now a junior at CAL, the Louisville wide receiver blew up on the recruiting trail over the summer after an impressive camp at Alabama. He has an offer from the Crimson Tide and Auburn. This weekend, he’ll be in Lexington.

Brown is one of about a dozen talented young athletes who train at Aspirations Gym in Louisville. Marrow’s connection with the gym’s proprietor, Chris Vaughn, helped the Cats secure commitments from Carrington Valentine, Wan’Dale Robinson, and a handful of others. Marrow is no longer wearing blue when he visits the facility off Strawberry Lane, but blue is getting in.

There are a couple of talented players from Atherton who are visiting Kentucky this weekend. DL Zai’Vion Meads grew up cheering for the Wildcats. Garyon Hobbs is a four-star defensive back in the 2027 class. Grayden Reid is a year younger, but is considered a Top 150 player in the 2028 recruiting class.

LA Evans has the tall task of slowing down Matt Ponatoski on Friday night in the KSR Game of the Week. After the game, the Top 150 defensive back from Trinity will be in Lexington to watch the Wildcats.

The guest list is not limited to talented skill players from Louisville. Pulaski County IOL Brady Hull holds multiple Power Conference scholarship offers. Woodford County IOL Justyn Perez opened eyes as one of the top performers this summer at an Under Armour Camp.

There was a concern that the Wildcats’ in-state recruiting would fall by the wayside following Vince Marrow’s departure. They aren’t going down without a fight.

Kentucky Visitors in the Top 100

In-state recruiting is important, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. There are plenty of Big Fish elsewhere, and the Cats are casting plenty of lines this weekend for the Ole Miss game. Kentucky will have three Top 100 players from the 2027 class on campus.

Omarii Sanders is a Nashville native who is considered the third-best linebacker in the 2027 class. The No. 56 overall player has an offer sheet that includes every big-name program in college football. The same could also be said for Corey Hadley, the safety who’s one spot behind Sanders in the Rivals Industry Rankings. Derwin Fields is a consensus Top 100 EDGE from the state of Mississippi who will be making the trip to Kroger Field on Saturday.

There’s one more noteworthy target worth mentioning who could be a package deal. Jaylen Mercer is a Top 300 defensive lineman from Cincinnati who’s the older brother of Kam Mercer, one of Mark Pope’s top recruits as the No. 1 point guard in the 2028 recruiting class.

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.