Knox Central's Gavin Chadwell built to play high-level football

Kentucky’s new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello already has his pitch locked and loaded for one of the state’s rising stars: the tight end position will be a focus moving forward.

For a young tight end in Gavin Chadwell, that was music to his ears when he took an unofficial trip to visit UK’s campus on Monday, where he sat in on spring practice, familiarized himself with new members of the coaching staff, particularly Scangarello, and saw quarterback Will Levis throw in-person.

Enjoyed the experience today at Kentucky’s Spring practice. @vincemarrow @UKCoachStoops @UKFootball pic.twitter.com/z4t0rW3aJx

— Gavin Chadwell (@gavinchadwell) March 21, 2022

You might have heard Chadwell’s name before, but if you haven’t, this certainly won’t be the last. Despite his sophomore status, the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder is considered the top overall player in the state of Kentucky from the class of 2024, according to the On3 Consensus. Chadwell has already received four-star status and a top 250 ranking in the country, coming in as the No. 10 overall tight end.

The Knox Central product played in eight games for the Panthers in 2021, hauling in 17 catches for 295 yards and a team-high eight receiving touchdowns. Chadwell split time playing defensive end too, registering 55 total tackles, including three sacks and one fumble recovery. He also doubles as an imposing power forward on the hardwood, where he averaged 13.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this past season for Knox Central, which fell to Reed Sheppard and North Laurel in the 13th Region championship.

But the gridiron is where Chadwell is earning plenty of college interest.

Kentucky was the first school to extend him a scholarship, which came from Wildcat associate head coach Vince Marrow, who also coaches the team’s tight ends, back in May 2021 on his 16th birthday. That was Chadwell’s first-ever college offer, with Eastern Kentucky University reaching out with a scholarship just a few days later. Since then, he camped at Louisville, Kentucky, and EKU over the summer before making visits to EKU, Miami (OH), and West Virginia. A future trip to Notre Dame is on the schedule, too.

The UK staff was able to get him back on campus this week, where he sat down and talked strategy with Scangarello and other coaches.

“Just from watching them practice their plays you could tell he had a different outlook on the tight end position and how he will utilize it more than maybe before,” Chadwell told KSR on Tuesday about Scangarello. “He spoke on that when we talked.”

Chadwell sees himself as a tight end at the college level and says that’s what schools are recruiting him to play. But he wants to make sure he’s going to be heavily involved in whatever offense he signs up for. For a kid with his size and athleticism, his versatility could make him a dangerous weapon early on.

“I’m for sure being recruited at the tight end position,” Chadwell added. “I see no problem with being a more run-heavy tight end and blocking for my backs, but clearly I’d love to be running deep routes all day if I could.”

To give you a better idea of how just tantalizing this sophomore is at 6-foot-4, roughly 230 pounds, just know that there isn’t much of a size difference between him and the SEC football players in the Wildcat locker room. That’s not a knock on any of the current players, but a testament to how much work Chadwell has already put into his own body — he has the frame to play college football tomorrow.

“I got to size myself up with the other athletes on the team,” Chadwell said about his visit to Kentucky. “And truthfully wasn’t what I had expected. I was ready to feel small compared to these guys, but I didn’t. I could see myself playing at that level.”

Chadwell grew up a UK fan, influenced by his father’s love for the Wildcat program. The Barbourville area doesn’t typically produce many Divison I athletes, but Chadwell is quickly proving to be an outlier. Kentucky doesn’t intend on losing him to another school, either. Coach Marrow and graduate assistant CJ Conrad have already established “great” relationships with Chadwell that have stuck out early in the tight end’s mind.

UK has the inside track as of right now, but other suitors are certainly going to knock on the Knox Central door over the next two years. At this rate, Chadwell only figures to see his stock grow.