Having a hard time keeping up with Kentucky's 2014 football recruiting class? It's a common problem these days. UK football is averaging one new verbal commitment every two days in June, a month Big Blue Nation usually spends counting down to the NBA draft. It's all foreign to us now, football excitement in the middle of summer, but the hype is real. Kentucky is second in Rivals.com's 2014 class rankings, trailing only Texas, ahead of Texas A&M, Tennessee, Alabama, Notre Dame and Michigan.
You'll find the 17 pieces that make up the historic class below. Know them, love them, and pray they stay on board through signing day.
********
STANLEY "BOOM" WILLIAMS
All-Purpose Back (1st)
5'8”, 186 lbs.
Bethlehem, GA
Rivals: 5.9
ESPN: 82
247: 89
Picked Kentucky over: Clemson and West Virginia
Twitter:
@boom_that_guy
-- No. 96 in the Rivals250
-- ESPN's 16th overall running back
-- Originally committed to his home state Georgia Bulldogs
-- Highest ranked UK commitment since Micah Johnson (36th) in 2006
DREW BARKER
Pro-Style Quarterback (5th)
6'3”, 214 lbs.
Burlington, KY
Rivals: 5.9
ESPN: 83
247: 94
Picked Kentucky over: South Carolina and Tennessee
Twitter:
@DBarker_7
-- No. 117 in the Rivals250
-- No. 111 in 247's Top247
-- Lifelong UK basketball fan
-- Was likely headed to South Carolina until he visited the UK's spring game
-- Writes for KSR
MIKEL HORTON
Running Back (12th)
6'1”, 230 lbs.
West Chester, OH
Rivals: 5.9
ESPN: 79
247: 87
Picked Kentucky over: Florida State, Louisville and Vanderbilt
Twitter:
@mikelhorton1
-- No. 131 in the Rivals250
-- At time of commitment, he was Kentucky's highest ranked running back commit since Rivals rankings began in 2002 (
See Boom Williams)
-- Said he was impressed by the turnout at UK's spring game
DARIUS WEST
Safety (15th)
5'11”, 196 lbs.
Lima, OH
Rivals: 5.8
ESPN: 82
247: 90
Picked Kentucky over: Louisville, Michigan State and Wisconsin
Twitter:
@D_1west25
-- No. 185 in the Rivals250
-- ESPN's 21st-ranked cornerback
-- Committed hours after his good friend Mike Edwards
-- Was expected to commit to UK in May but postponed his announcement
THADDEUS SNODGRASS
Wide Receiver (29th)
6'1”, 184 lbs.
Springfield, OH
Rivals: 5.8
ESPN: 83
247: 87
Picked Kentucky over: Louisville, Cincinnati, Ohio State and Notre Dame
Twitter:
@ThadSnod1
-- No. 205 in the Rivals250
-- No. 183 in ESPN300
-- Highest ranked receiver to commit to UK
-- Committed to Kentucky on KSR radio show
MIKE EDWARDS
Safety (33rd)
6'1”, 184 lbs.
Cincinnati, OH
Rivals: 5.7
ESPN: 78
247: 88
Picked Kentucky over: Louisville, Cincinnati, Ohio State and Notre Dame
Twitter:
@M_Edwards6
-- Four-star prospect, according to Scout.com
-- Wanted to commit in April but his high school coach held him back
-- Has long said he'd attend college with Darius West
DENZEL WARE
Weakside Defensive End (15th)
6'1”, 241 lbs.
Crestview, FL
Rivals: 5.7
ESPN: 84
247: 97
Picked Kentucky over: Florida State, Florida, Alabama, USC, Texas
Twitter:
@9Otl
-- Four-star prospect, according to ESPN and 247.com
-- ESPN's 9th-ranked defensive end
-- No. 45 in 247's Top247
-- Decommitted to Kentucky prior to spring game after becoming first commitment of UK class in February
DARRYL LONG
Tight End (23rd)
6'5”, 234 lbs.
Westerville, OH
Rivals: 5.7
ESPN: 77
247: 86
Picked Kentucky over: North Carolina, Louisville, Purdue and Pittsburgh
Twitter:
@darryl_long
KOBIE WALKER
Outside Linebacker (31st)
6'4”, 210 lbs.
Olney, MD
Rivals: 5.7
ESPN: 78
247: 86
Picked Kentucky over: Miami and West Virginia
Twitter:
@KobieWalker
-- His commitment opens a potential pipeline to Lady of Good Counsel in Olney, Maryland, an elite high school football program
-- Played safety as a junior but is making the move to outside linebacker
JARRETT LARUBBIO
Offensive Guard (16th)
6'5”, 260 lbs.
Liberty Township, OH
Rivals: 5.7
ESPN: 77
247: 86
Picked Kentucky over: Miami and West Virginia
Twitter:
@jlube75
DORIAN HENDRIX
Inside Linebacker (25th)
5'11”, 225 lbs.
Huber Heights, OH
Rivals: 5.7
ESPN: 70
247: 87
Picked Kentucky over: Illinois and Indiana
Twitter:
@D_Hendrix14
-- The first of eight 2014 UK commitments from the state of Ohio
JARED TUCKER
Cornerback (44th)
5'11”, 162 lbs.
Stone Mountain, GA
Rivals: 5.7
ESPN: 73
247: 84
Picked Kentucky over: Miami
Twitter:
@_SaluteToJared
SHYQUAWN PULLIUM
Cornerback (JUCO)
6'1”, 190 lbs.
Erie, PA
Blinn Community College (TX)
Rivals: 5.7
ESPN:
--
247: 85
Picked Kentucky over: Arizona State and Cincinnati
Twitter:
@ShyquawnP
-- JUCO teammate of fellow UK commit Ryan Flannigan
-- Committed to Penn State out of high school
NICO FIRIOS
Outside Linebacker (
NR)
6'2”, 225 lbs.
Longwood, FL
Rivals: 5.6
ESPN: 80
247: 84
Picked Kentucky over: Louisville, Purdue, South Florida and Wisconsin
Twitter:
@NicoFirios
-- Four-star prospect, according to ESPN
-- ESPN's 19th-ranked inside linebacker
RYAN FLANNIGAN
Inside Linebacker (JUCO)
6'1”, 220 lbs.
Missouri City, TX
Blinn Community College (TX)
Rivals: 5.6
ESPN:
--
247: 86
Picked Kentucky over: Arizona State, Cincinnati, Houston, and Texas Tech
Twitter:
@RFlannigan5
-- JUCO teammate of fellow UK commit Shyquawn Pulliam
-- Committed to Texas Tech out of high school
ADRIAN MIDDLETON
Defensive Tackle (
NR)
6'4”, 275 lbs.
Bowling Green, KY
Rivals: 5.5
ESPN: --
247: --
Picked Kentucky over: Louisville
Twitter:
@59OnMyChest
-- 5th-ranked prospect in Kentucky
TYMERE DUBOSE
Strongside Defensive End (
NR)
6'6”, 265 lbs.
Youngstown, OH
Rivals: 5.5
ESPN: 74
247: 78
Picked Kentucky over: Michigan State, Arkansas, West Virginia and Maryland
Twitter: N/A
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