Kentucky roster adds more and more Georgia flavor

by:Nick Roush•10/15/21•

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Kentucky’s road trip to Athens will serve as a homecoming for 13 Wildcats. On the UK roster only Kentucky (39) and Ohio (22) have more players than the state of Georgia. As the Wildcats slightly recalibrate their recruiting strategy, the peach state has become more and more important. That makes Saturday’s game more and more important.

Impact Players from Georgia

There’s a decent quantity, but what really stands out is the quality of football players from Georgia on Kentucky’s roster. It all starts with running back Chris Rodriguez (McDonough), who leads the SEC in rushing with 768 yards and five touchdowns through six games.

“Obviously, I’m from Georgia. I have a chip on my shoulder because I’m from there,” Rodriguez said Tuesday.

On the other side of the line of scrimmage, senior cornerback Quandre Mosely (Brunswick) is coming off his best game, recording three pass break-ups against LSU. Senior safety Yusuf Corker (McDonough) has six PBUs, tied for the second most in the SEC.

“Every time we break it down, we always talk about ‘Atlanta.’ This time we got a chance to really go do it,” said Corker. “College GameDay’s going to be there, SEC Nation’s going to be there, my family’s going to be there. This game is really going to mean a lot to me and to our fanbase.”

Rising Stars

Even though one Georgia star left school early to become a first round NFL Draft pick, there are a few candidates to replace Jamin Davis from his neck of the woods. Jon Sumrall recruited Martez Thrower and Trevin Wallace to his position room and the latter has already made a significant impact on the field.

Those two true freshmen will have to beat out D’Eryk Jackson (Dublin) next fall. He was projected to start at Mike linebacker until he suffered a torn Achilles in the spring. The Cats believe Chauncey Magwood (Albany) has a bright future, considered the most likely candidate to replace Wan’Dale Robinson in the slot.

More to Come

When Steve Clinkscale departed for Michigan, Stoops and Co. slightly shifted its recruiting priorities. Instead of investing so much time in Michigan, Stoops hired Chris Collins to join forces with Anwar Stewart in the Atlanta area. They’ve locked up a commitment from Andre Stewart in the 2022 class and have hosted the nation’s top-ranked player in the 2023 class for an unofficial visit.

Their work complements Sumrall’s recruiting efforts in south Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama. A recruiter that lays low before reeling in big fish on signing day, two young defensive linemen will contribute this Saturday, Kahlil Saunders and Josaih Hayes. A win over Georgia this weekend could make all of their jobs much easier.

“It sends a message to the South,” said Vince Marrow. “When I took over as recruiting coordinator, Kentucky was still looked at as a joke when you recruited in the South if you wanted them top players. When we started beating them teams, it sends a message that these guys are doing something there. I think beating Georgia it will solidify the whole thing that you can go to Kentucky and get it done, play for a National Championship and play for a SEC Championship.”