Tyran Stokes is catching TD passes on the football field -- maybe Mark Stoops could use him?

Kentucky could only rack up 10 completions for 124 passing yards against South Carolina, two pass-catchers with over ten yards. Maybe the Wildcats could use some help from the No. 1 basketball recruit in the country? Tyran Stokes is doing just fine on the football field, making his gridiron debut for Notre Dame Sherman Oaks out in California this past weekend.

Playing football for the first time since middle school, the 6-foot-7, 225-pound small forward lined up at wide receiver and caught two balls for 57 yards and a touchdown in the 57-14 win over Culver City.

His score came on a 45-yard deep ball down the left sideline, easily shaking off a defender at the line of scrimmage before walking into the end zone on the uncovered catch. Slightly underthrown, but Stokes did all of the hard work to open the rep to set up the layup of a touchdown.

Nothing like a TD on your debut.

Tyran Stokes hauls in a 45-yard TD. His second catch of night in Notre Dame’s rout of Culver City.
pic.twitter.com/JgDkO86Tem

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) September 27, 2025

Stokes had another touchdown catch waved off on the right corner of the end zone, coming down with it, but ruled out of bounds. Video replay doesn’t love the call, but hey, they didn’t need it in the 43-point victory.

Jump ball in the end zone for Notre Dame/Sherman Oask’ Tyran Stokes. He appears to come down with it, but is called out of bounds by the officials.

Video from Notre Dame athletic director Alec Moss. pic.twitter.com/KhcTbpIq5I

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) September 27, 2025

Not a bad gridiron debut for the top-ranked hooper.

“There’s a reason he’s the No. 1-rated basketball player in the country,” Notre Dame Sherman Oaks football coach Evan Yabu told Jacob Polacheck of KSR+. “It’s not because he’s tall and big. It’s because he’s adaptable, smart, very aware, and he’s an elite listener. He’s an extremely fast learner.”

Stokes first flirted with the idea of playing football earlier this month, throwing on some shoulder pads and participating in his first practice back on Sept. 15. He had to go through ten padded practices before being declared eligible to compete. With his team on a bye week the previous Friday, the earliest possible debut date was Sept. 26, assuming he knocked out all of the requirements.

Consider them done, the five-star recruit suiting up in live game action for the first time under the Friday night lights.

“This could be my last chance to just be a kid,” Stokes told Tarek Fattal of High School On SI of his decision to play football in his final year of high school.

Willie Cauley-Stein walked so Tyran Stokes could run as a Kentucky Wildcat. From high school football standout to college basketball star. I can hear the commentators talking about it already.

“Did you know Tyran Stokes played wide receiver?”

Whatever it takes to earn his commitment, Mark Pope — or Mark Stoops? The latter might need him more right now.