Kentucky football signing day wrap-up: What you need to know about each 2024 recruit

The new world of college football means roster construction is a year-round endeavor, but Wednesday represented one of the important mileposts of that process as high school seniors could sign a National Letter of Intent for the first time.

Even signing day is not immune from the ever-increasing emphasis on the transfer portal market though as Kentucky began announcing its latest transfer class Tuesday evening, allowing Mark Stoops to comment publicly on those players for the first time at his signing day news conference. While there were at least a couple of signing day decisions to watch in the high school class there were no major surprises.

The early signing period for high school athletes continues through Friday. Another window for high school athletes to sign extends from Feb. 7 through April 1 of 2024. The fall transfer portal for FBS schools opened Dec. 4 and closes Jan. 2. The transfer portal for football players opens again for 15 days in the spring.

Kentucky football transfer signees

Raymond Cottrell

Wide receiver

6-foot-3, 210 pounds

Milton, Florida (Texas A&M)

247Sports transfer rating: 4 stars

Notes: A former four-star recruit in high school, Cottrell should provide needed depth at wide receiver for Kentucky next season with the potential to develop into a key contributor. Cottrell caught one pass for 13 yards while appearing in 13 games for the Aggies this season. He provides some much-needed size to the receiver room. The Milton, Florida, native was committed to Florida and Georgia in high school before ultimately signing with Texas A&M.

Jamon Dumas-Johnson

Inside linebacker

6-foot-1, 245 pounds

Hyattsville, Maryland (Georgia)

247Sports transfer rating: 4 stars

Notes: A first-team All-American in 2022 according to ESPN and The Sporting News, Dumas-Johnson transfers to Kentucky with two national championship rings and a perfect 24-0 record in games he started at Georgia. Dumas-Johnson was not quite as productive in 2023 as 2022, totaling 34 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in nine games before suffering a season-ending arm injury, but he was counted on as a key leader and steadying presence in the heart of Georgia’s defense. At Kentucky, he provides an exciting replacement for Trevin Wallace, who left school early for the NFL draft.

Jalen Farmer

Offensive line

6-foot-5, 310 pounds

Covington, Georgia (Florida)

247Sports transfer rating: N/A

Notes: Two years after Kentucky failed to flip Farmer from Florida on his high school signing day, the offensive lineman is headed to Lexington. He played in four games across two seasons at Florida. With three seasons of eligibility remaining, Farmer should serve as a developmental piece for the future of the offensive line while providing needed depth in 2024.

Ja’Mori Maclin

Wide receiver

5-foot-11, 183 pounds

Kirkwood, Missouri (North Texas)

247Sports transfer rating: 3 stars

Notes: The cousin of former Missouri All-American and NFL wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, Ja’Mori started his career at Missouri before transferring to North Texas in 2022. He enjoyed a breakout campaign this fall with 57 catches for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns. Maclin was one of the most popular wide receivers in the transfer portal. At Kentucky, he probably will step into the starting role vacated by super senior Tayvion Robinson.

Chip Trayanum

Running back

5-foot-11, 233 pounds

Akron, Ohio (Ohio State)

247Sports transfer rating: 4 stars

Notes: Trayanum spent the last two seasons at Ohio State after starting his career at Arizona State. He has rushed for 1,157 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career. Trayanum is considered a power back whose rushing style more closely resembles former Wildcats Benny Snell and Chris Rodriguez than Ray Davis. Trayanum originally planned to play linebacker at Ohio State but quickly moved back to running back, where he backed up TreVeyon Henderson. He scored the game-winning touchdown in Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame.

Brock Vandagriff

Quarterback

6-foot-3, 210 pounds

Bogart, Georgia (Georgia)

247Sports transfer rating: 4 stars

Notes: A five-star prospect in the high school class of 2021, Vandagriff spent three seasons as a backup at Georgia behind Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck before deciding to transfer. While Vandagriff has played only sparingly in blowout situations in college thus far, Kentucky will hope offensive coordinator Liam Coen can make the most of the talent that saw the 247Sports Composite rank him as the No. 4 quarterback in his high school class. Vandagriff was ranked ahead of current college stars J.J. McCarthy, Kyle McCord and Drake Maye in high school.

Kentucky football high school signees

Cutter Boley

Quarterback

6-foot-5, 205 pounds

Lexington (Lexington Christian Academy)

247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars

Notes: The most hyped quarterback recruit to commit to Kentucky since Tim Couch in the early 1990s, Boley was initially rated among the top quarterbacks in the class of 2025 but announced he was reclassifying to 2024 when he pledged to the Wildcats. Boley picked the Wildcats over reported offers from traditional football powers across the country, including finalists Tennessee, Michigan, Florida State and Penn State. The 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 17 quarterback in the 2024 class.

Cam Dooley

Defensive back

6-foot-2, 191 pounds

Valley, Alabama (Valley)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: The first signing day commitment for Kentucky, Dooley picked the Wildcats over Missouri. Dooley played quarterback, wide receiver and safety in high school but will play defense at Kentucky. While the 247Sports Composite, which averages the ratings of the major recruiting services, rates him a three-star prospect, 247Sports’ own ratings elevated him to four-star status shortly before signing day.

Hardley Gilmore

Wide receiver

6-foot-1, 165 pounds

Belle Grande, Florida (Pahokee)

247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars

Notes: Gilmore picked the Wildcats over finalists Penn State and UCF a few days before Kentucky’s 2023 season opener. The 247Sports Composite ranks him as a top-50 wide receiver in the high school class. He should have an opportunity to earn early snaps as a freshman. Gilmore received a waiver from the NCAA to join Kentucky early for bowl practices for what Stoops called an extenuating circumstance he declined to elaborate on. Gilmore cannot play in the Gator Bowl versus Clemson though.

Hayes Johnson

Offensive line

6-foot-4, 300 pounds

Campbellsville (Taylor County)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: The first recruit to join Kentucky’s 2024 class, Johnson picked the Wildcats over finalists Louisville, Tennessee, Michigan State and Baylor. After losing its first commitment in six consecutive years, UK has now held onto its first pledge in back-to-back cycles. Johnson is the first player from Taylor County High School to sign with Kentucky in the recruiting website era.

Jacob Kauwe

Kicker

6-foot-1, 203 pounds

Billings, Montana (Billings West)

247Sports Composite rating: N/A

Notes: New UK special teams coordinator Jay Boulware landed his first high school kicker recruit for the Wildcats when Kauwe committed shortly after a visit to Lexington. Leg strength appears to be a plus for Kauwe, who won the kickoff competition at a Kohl’s kicking camp in May. He would be the first scholarship recruit from Montana to sign with Kentucky in the recruit website era. Kauwe could take over kickoff duties in 2024 after Chance Poore’s departure then step into the field goal job in 2025 when Alex Raynor leaves.

Jiquavious Marshall

Defensive back

6-foot-4, 180 pounds

Macon, Georgia (Westside)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: The second commitment of the day for Kentucky on June 21, Marshall picked the Wildcats over reported Power Five offers from Florida State, Michigan, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Iowa State, Virginia, Duke, Georgia Tech, West Virginia and Indiana. Marshall plays receiver and defensive back for his high school and is rated as an athlete by the recruiting websites. He is expected to play defense at Kentucky.

Tovani Mizell

Running back

5-foot-11, 210 pounds

Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Western)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: Mizell committed to Kentucky shortly before he had been scheduled to take a visit to Oklahoma. Mizell was previously committed to Georgia when he was considered one of the top running backs in the class of 2024, but he backed out of that pledge after the Bulldogs accepted a commitment from another running back with a similar skill set. Mizell’s recruiting rankings have dropped since.

Marc Nave

Offensive line

6-foot-4, 330 pounds

Toledo, Ohio (Central Catholic)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: Kentucky’s last commitment before signing day, Nave first pledged to Ohio State in March but reopened his recruitment in September. He visited Kentucky twice during the 2023 season, ultimately picking the Wildcats after his official visit in November.

Terhyon Nichols

Defensive back

5-foot-11, 180 pounds

Cincinnati, Ohio (Winthrow)

247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars

Notes: Kentucky landed its second four-star commitment in the first weekend of July with a pledge from Nichols, who picked the Wildcats over finalists Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. The 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 18 cornerback in the country and No. 9 prospect in Ohio.

Jason Patterson

Running back

5-foot-10, 203 pounds

Sneads, Florida (Sneads)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: Patterson originally committed to Cincinnati in August before flipping his pledge to Kentucky in November. In addition to Kentucky and Cincinnati, Patterson took summer official visits to Boston College, Rutgers and Vanderbilt.

Caleb Redd

Outside linebacker

6-foot-3, 215 pounds

St. Louis, Missouri (DeSmet)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: Redd picked the Wildcats over reported Power Five scholarship offers from Oklahoma, Southern Cal, Wisconsin, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Nebraska, Kansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Minnesota and Purdue. His commitment represents a win for assistant coach Frank Buffano who has spent years working to establish UK’s brand in the St. Louis area.

Brian Robinson

Defensive line

6-foot-5, 260 pounds

Youngstown, Ohio (Westerville North)

247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars

Notes: One of Kentucky’s top targets in the class, Robinson picked UK after a visit to Lexington for the Florida win. At various points in Robinson’s recruitment, UK looked like it might be trailing multiple traditional powerhouse programs, but he ultimately picked the Wildcats over Michigan and Penn State. The 247Sports Composite ranks Robinson as the No. 128 prospect in the entire 2024 class, making him UK’s highest-rated commitment by that metric.

Willie Rodriguez

Tight end

6-foot-3, 235 pounds

Covington (Covington Catholic)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: Kentucky offered Rodriguez a scholarship in April after a host of Power Five programs from outside the state had begun to up their pursuit of the Covington Catholic star. He pledged to the Wildcats after taking June official visits to UK, Purdue and Virginia Tech. UK had to hold off late pursuit from Tennessee, which hosted Rodriguez for an official visit last weekend. Rodriguez is the first Covington Catholic player to sign with Kentucky in the recruiting website era.

Quaysheed Scott

Defensive back

6-foot, 190 pounds

Marion, South Carolina (Marion)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: Neither 247Sports nor Rivals had rated Scott at the time of his commitment to UK in July, but his stock consistently rose throughout the fall. Kentucky was the first Power Five program to offer. The Wildcats had to hold off a late push from Scott’s home state South Carolina Gamecocks to secure his signature.

Aba Selm

Offensive line

6-foot-4, 285 pounds

Independence (Simon Kenton)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: Selm started the year as the top prospect in the Kentucky high school 2024 class, but Boley’s reclassification and the move of the Smith twins to Corbin slid him to fourth on the list. Missouri, Louisville, Penn State, Indiana and Illinois all reportedly extended scholarship offers to Selm in the month before he picked the Wildcats. He is the first Simon Kenton player to sign with UK since Miles Simpson in the class of 2010.

Antwan Smith

Inside linebacker

6-foot-3, 200 pounds

Atlanta (Westlake)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: A two-sport standout in football and track, Smith committed to Kentucky after an official visit to Lexington in June. Boston College, Duke, Vanderbilt, Minnesota and N.C. State were the other Power Five programs to reportedly offer a scholarship.

Devin Smith

Inside linebacker

6-foot, 215 pounds

Brunswick, Georgia (Brunswick)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: The fourth Smith to join Kentucky’s 2023 class earns the distinction of strangest commitment timing as he announced his pledge to Kentucky at 2:56 a.m. the night after his Brunswick High School team lost a game against crosstown rival Glynn Academy. Despite the strange timing, the commitment was a significant win for Kentucky’s staff as Smith reported scholarship offers from many of the SEC’s biggest powers, including LSU, Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn.

Jacob Smith

Outside linebacker

6-foot-4, 225 pounds

Corbin (Corbin)

247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars

Notes: After following twin brother Jerod Smith with a commitment to Michigan in July, Jacob flipped his pledge to Kentucky on the field after Corbin’s Sept. 15 win over Frederick Douglass. The Smith brothers started their high school career at Somerset before spending two seasons at a Connecticut prep school. They transferred back to the Bluegrass State to play for Corbin as seniors. The 247Sports Composite ranks Jacob as the No. 15 edge defender prospect in the high school 2024 class.

Jerod Smith

Defensive line

6-foot-4, 245 pounds

Corbin (Corbin)

247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars

Notes: Jerod was the first of the Smith brothers to commit to Michigan, pledging to the Wolverines in April. Like his brother, Jerod flipped to Kentucky after Corbin’s win over Frederick Douglass. The 247Sports Composite ranks Smith as a top-30 defensive line prospect in the 2024 class and the No. 1 prospect in Kentucky.

Steven Soles

Linebacker

6-foot-2, 220 pounds

Powell, Tennessee (Powell)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: Kentucky’s recent success recruiting the Volunteer State continued with a commitment from Soles, who reported offers from SEC rivals Alabama, Mississippi State and South Carolina at the time of his commitment. He has dubbed himself “Sack’em Soles” on social media as a nod to his pass-rushing prowess.

David Washington

Wide receiver

5-foot-11, 190 pounds

Philadelphia (St. Joseph’s Prep)

247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars

Notes: Virginia, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Maryland, Boston College and Oregon were the other Power Five schools to reportedly offer scholarships before Washington committed to Kentucky. Kentucky will hope Washington adds to the speed in its wide receiver room as he reported running a 4.38 40-yard dash at a college showcase in May.

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