KSR Today: More 'Cats off to NFL; Cason Wallace hype builds
Good morning, folks! The 2022 NFL Draft officially came to a close on Saturday afternoon, as four Kentucky Wildcats heard their names called on the Las Vegas stage over the weekend. Wan’Dale Robinson (New York Giants) got the party started for UK on day two as a second-round selection at No. 43. Soon after, Josh Paschal (Detroit Lions) and Luke Fortner (Jacksonville Jaguars) followed behind their former teammate at picks No. 46 and 65, respectively.
Day three on Saturday saw Darrian Kinnard go in the fifth round with the 145th pick to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he can immediately help contribute to a championship-aspiring franchise. Once the picks dried up, a trio of ‘Cats received the call to sign deals as undrafted free agents. Yusfur Corker will team up with Wan’Dale and the Giants, Marquan McCall is headed to the Carolina Panthers, and Justin Rigg will make the short drive up to Cincinnati with the Bengals.
- Darian Kinnard Drafted by Kansas City Chiefs with No. 145 Pick in Round 5
- Yusuf Corker signs deal with New York Giants
- Marquan McCall inks free agent deal with Carolina Panthers
Only one expected draftee, Dare Rosenthal, has not been signed to a deal yet, although one could sooner rather than later.
KSR’s NFL Draft analysis
- Wan’Dale Robinson describes “surreal” NFL Draft Selection by the New York Giants
- Josh Paschal adds versatility to deep Lions defensive front
- Luke Fortner will be walking into great opportunity with Jaguars
- Darian Kinnard will add OL depth to Chiefs power scheme
We’ll have plenty more NFL Draft #content coming your way throughout the day. Stay tuned.
Cason Wallace shines at Iverson Classic
The Cason Wallace buzz is not dying down any time soon. The Kentucky signee and incoming freshman was arguably the best player of the entire Iverson Classic (which also included Chris Livingston) this past weekend down in Memphis — the final All-Star showcase of the season, which included a majority of the nation’s top high school seniors. He was named the MVP by On3’s Jamie Shaw, who said Wallace “was the best player in the building, and it was not ever in question.” But even more impressive? Despite being known for his lockdown defense, Wallace was the best shooter that Shaw saw over the weekend, too.
He can also do this.
As a reminder, Cason Wallace is still locked in with Kentucky in wake of the Jai Lucas news. UK got a good one.
Softball falls on Senior Day; Baseball washed into another L
Kentucky Softball’s Senior Day pregame festivities were the best part of the day, unfortunately. The Wildcats dropped game two of the series against Mississippi State on Saturday, 6-2, bringing them to an even 10-10 in SEC play. The rubber match is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, as UK will try to salvage the series in their final home game of the year.
At least it was a really nice day outside.
As for the Baseball ‘Cats, they could hardly stay on the field, although it wasn’t entirely their fault. Poor weather in Gainesville led to a nearly hour-long rain delay that only stalled the inevitable. Florida smacked Kentucky for three runs in the first inning and four more in the second to put the game out of reach early.
The Gators cruised to a 9-1 victory and the series win. Sunday’s finale is scheduled for a quick turnaround with a noon EST first pitch on the SEC Network.
Broome to Morehead State; other recruiting notes
A one-time Kentucky target and former Morehead State star, Johni Broome is heading to one of the Wildcats’ new SEC foes. The OVC Defensive Player of the Year will play for Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers this coming season.
Broome also received interest from Kentucky, Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, Houston, and Memphis, among other programs. At the end of the day, though, Auburn felt like home.
“It felt like the right place for me to be and a place that I can call home,” Broome told On3. “Bruce Pearl and the coaching staff showed me how valuable I could be, how much they cared about me, and the work they are willing to put in to take me to the next level and expand my game as a whole. Auburn University is a wonderful place to be and I’m ready to get to work.”
At one point, Kentucky’s entire coaching staff reached out to Broome about making the move from Morehead to Lexington. That was, however, when Oscar Tshiebwe’s draft decision was up in the air and the Wildcats were looking at potential replacement options.
Now, how about some recruiting updates from KSR’s Jack Pilgrim?
- Rob Dillingham staying patient with second recruitment, Kentucky still a “top school”
- Ron Holland hearing from Kentucky, but prioritized by others — namely Arkansas and UCLA
- Somto Cyril wants to play like Oscar Tshiebwe, feels at home at Kentucky
Will Levis is awesome
NBA Playoff action resumes
After a one-day hiatus, the NBA Playoffs will be back in action on Sunday as round two coverage kicks off.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics will get us rolling at 1:00 p.m. EST on ABC before the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies close out the early day with a 3:30 p.m. EST tip time on ABC. Unfortunately, there won’t be any former ‘Cats in either of these games, but expect two incredibly exciting series regardless.
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