Matt Ponatoski makes Top 100 of new Rivals recruiting rankings; Kentucky's class on the rise

The initial 2026 Rivals300 rankings are out, and Kentucky’s class is in better shape thanks to Matt Ponatoski. Kentucky’s future quarterback is No. 100 in the new rankings, which are based on junior film and production and hundreds of in-person evaluations by the Rivals national team over the past several months. Rivals ranks Ponatoski as the No. 9 quarterback in the class and the No. 5 player from the state of Ohio. He was the only Kentucky commit to make the top 300.

Rivals is higher on Ponatoski than other outlets. His Rivals Industry Ranking, which also includes 247 Sports and ESPN’s rankings, is No. 260. 247 Sports only considers him a three-star prospect and the No. 29 quarterback in the class. Charles Power, Rivals’ Director of Scouting and Rankings, broke down why he and the Rivals’ team are so high on the Archbishop Moeller star.

“Matt Ponatoski is a prospect who came on our radar last fall. He had an awesome junior season at Archbishop Moeller and is one of the most productive passers we’ve seen in the cycle. He threw for over 4,200 yards with 57 touchdowns and just three interceptions while playing top competition. This guy is one of the top dual-threat athletes in all of high school sports. Ponatoski is also an All-American-caliber baseball player and was heavily recruited in both sports. He has a legitimate shot to be an impact player in football and baseball at the college level.

“What stands out to me about Ponatoski on the football field is his accuracy and his feel for the passing game. He’s a cool customer, one that’s hard to fluster. He has that natural feel for finding open receivers and spaces in the defense. He has a strong understanding of his high school offense and we saw his accuracy at the Elite 11 Finals. He’s a high-volume rhythm passer who’s super accurate. I feel, with very good conviction, that he’ll be a productive college quarterback, just based off what we’ve seen from his thus far.” 

Kentucky now has a Top 40 class

With a top 100 addition, Kentucky’s class is on the rise. The Cats are No. 39 in the new Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings with an 87.29 average star rating. That’s up ten spots from the previous rankings and good enough for 12th in the SEC, ahead of Mississippi State (No. 48), Vanderbilt (No. 55), Missouri (No. 64), and Auburn (No. 66). If you’re curious, Louisville’s class is No. 31.

Also notable with the new Rivals rankings: cornerback Isaiah McMillian and defensive lineman Ben Duncum are rated, both coming in at three stars. Previously, neither was ranked in the On3 Industry Ranking. Here is where all 15 commitments stand in the rankings, the first of the new Rivals/On3 era.

No.	Recruit	Position	Rivals Stars, Rating	Rivals Natl. Rank	Rivals Pos. Rank
1	Matt Ponatoski	QB	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (92)	100	9
2	Messiah Tilson	S	⭐⭐⭐ (89)	—	30
3	Jordan Crutchfield	ATH	⭐⭐⭐ (89)	—	22
4	Denairius Gray	WR	⭐⭐⭐ (88)	—	85
5	Tyreek Jemison	OT	⭐⭐⭐ (88)	—	46
6	Lincoln Watkins	TE	⭐⭐⭐ (88)	—	35
7	Ben Duncum	DL	⭐⭐⭐ (88)	—	40
8	Davis McCray	ATH	⭐⭐⭐ (88)	—	40
9	Cameron Miller	OT	⭐⭐⭐ (88)	—	47
10	Dallas Dickerson	WR	⭐⭐⭐ (88)	—	46
11	Garrett Witherington	DL	⭐⭐⭐ (87)	—	78
12	Isaiah McMillian	CB	⭐⭐⭐ (87)	—	78
13	Prince Jean	WR	⭐⭐⭐ (87)	—	114
14	Max Mohring	LB	⭐⭐⭐ (86)	—	108
15	Delvecchio Alston	RB	⭐⭐⭐ (86)	—	78

Who’s next? Three-star tailback SirPaul Cheeks announces his decision tomorrow, but Virginia Tech is considered the frontrunner. Three-star offensive guard Da’Ron Parks is up next on July 26. His finalists are Kentucky, Auburn, Florida State, and Ohio State.