Kentucky is Making a Late Push for a 4-Star Wide Receiver

Things are happening. You gotta keep your head on a swivel. On the final day of the Early Signing Period, Will Stein‘s Kentucky coaching staff is trying to make some recruiting magic.

Coaching changes have caused a few talented recruits to make a change of plans. Kenny Darby was expected to sign with LSU on Wednesday. Instead, he decommitted.

Darby is a four-star wide receiver from Bossier City (La.) Airline. He’s the No. 188 overall prospect and the sixth-ranked player from the state of Louisiana, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings. During his junior season, Darby caught 100 passes for 1,764 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman reports that Darby will reach a final decision on Friday afternoon. It’s down to Alabama, LSU, Colorado, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Houston. Reading the tea leaves, Kentucky is the Wild Card, while Coach Prime and the Bulldogs in Starkville are the top two options. Darby was previously committed to Mississippi State for a brief time last summer.

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Will Stein is reportedly bringing Joe Sloan to Kentucky to be the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator. Sloan has been recruiting in the Boot since 2013. He’s got major chops in the bayou and may have planted enough seeds when Darby was committed to the Tigers for Kentucky to pull off a shocking recruiting win at the 11th hour.

Kentucky 2026 Recruiting Class

The Wildcats already have four wide receivers signed in the 2026 class, but I’m sure Stein would happily celebrate this last-minute recruiting win. Darby is expected to announce his decision at approximately 2 PM ET.

Kentucky is still waiting for two other players to make it official. TE Lincoln Watkins is expected to sign without any drama, but it will be a sweat to see if Messiah Tilson signs with Kentucky or Rutgers.

Player	Position	High School	Ranking
Matt Ponatoski	QB (6-2, 190)	Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller	4-star (No. 226 overall)
Messiah Tilson	S (6-2, 165)	Rockford (Ill.) Guilford	4-star (No. 346 overall)
Denairius Gray	WR (6-1, 170)	Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna	High 3-star (No. 522 overall)
Dallas Dickerson	WR (6-1, 180)	Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee	High 3-star (No. 589 overall)
Lincoln Watkins	TE (6-4, 225)	Port Huron (Mich.) Northern	3-star (No. 609 overall)
Ben Duncum	DL (6-5, 250)	Austin (Texas) Lake Travis	3-star (No. 748 overall)
Isaiah McMillian	CB (6-0, 170)	Katy (Texas) High	3-star (No. 943 overall)
Justyn Hartley	LB/EDGE (6-2, 215)	Hoover (Ala.) High	3-star (No. 953 overall)
Prince Jean	WR (6-0, 170)	Valdosta (Ga) High	3-star (No. 1,049 overall)
Cameron Miller	T (6-5, 310)	Hammond (Ind.) Morton	3-star (No. 1,072) overall)
Davis McCray	WR (6-2, 190)	San Antonio (Texas) Cornerstone Christian	3-star (No. 1,295 overall)
Delvecchio “Deuce” Alston II	RB (6-0, 200)	Trussville (Ala.) Hewitt-Trussville	3-star (No. 1,421 overall)
Jordan Knox	IOL (6-3, 310)	Rock Hill (SC)	JUCO
Braxton Urquhart	CB (6-2, 200)	Hoover (Ala.)	JUCO