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2014 UK Football Recruiting
Blue Chrome Wrote:Hearing that Lloyd Tubman still possible to flip to Kentucky. How would that happen since we're already at 28 players. Would stoops have to pull a scholly from someone else?

I've heard that Mathis may not make it due to grades.
Yes, just saw this from Scout's Patrick Loney:

"He (Mathis) will stay committed, but enroll in the fall without signing NLI which will only count towards the 85 not 14 class."
Charles Walker committed as a preferred walkon.

mc
Any updates on Tubman? Will he switch on NSD, if he does at all?
How many walk on spots do we have left?
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[COLOR="Blue"]
My Priorities are:
1)God
2)Family
3)Cougar Athletics!

Everything else doesn't matter![/COLOR]
Tubman has officially de-committed from Penn State. All signs point to him calling for UK.
:Thumbs:
Lloyd Tubman Decommits from Penn State, Re-Opens Recruitment

One of the first commitments that James Franklin received after coming to Penn State may never suit up for the Nittany Lions.

Lloyd Tubman, a four-star defensive end out of Kentucky, has reportedly decided to re-open his recruitment and will announce where he plans on signing at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, according to The Louisville Courier-Journal’s Steve Jones.

Along with this, Tubman has removed everything Penn State-related from his Twitter account , and he has sent out several tweets towards Kentucky’s Big Blue Nation that have since been deleted. Tubman’s decision will come on National Signing Day, the first day that recruits in the class of 2014 can sign official letters of intent for where they want to play college football.

While Penn State’s recruiting class has mostly stayed in tact since Franklin took over, it has already suffered a major loss among its defensive line when four-star defensive tackle Thomas Holley flipped his commitment from Penn State to Florida last month.

While losing the 6’5″, 235 lb. and ever-smiling Tubman would hurt, there are a few silver linings for Penn State. The incoming class of freshmen includes three defensive line recruits, and losing Tubman would open up a second scholarship that Franklin could use on other targets, whether they be on the defensive line or somewhere else on the roster.

Of course, there’s still a lot that needs to happen between now and Wednesday, but Tubman’s future in Happy Valley looks bleak.

http://onwardstate.com/2014/02/03/lloyd-...cruitment/
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Signing day is here! I am wanting to see some dry ink! Go Big Blue!
Lloyd Tubman has officially signed his LOI with Kentucky!
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LOSERS QUIT WHEN THEY'RE TIRED, WINNERS QUIT WHEN THEY HAVE WON
UK signs top-rated football class in Rivals era
CatsIllustrated.com

Mark Stoops and the Kentucky football have wrapped up signing the school's top-rated recruiting class in the Rivals.com era.

Here are bios of all 21 players who signed with the Wildcats today -- seven players enrolled early -- and stories will follow on CatsIllustrated.com with reaction from the early enrollees and Kentucky coaches.

Stoops is scheduled to meet with reporters at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

This story will be updated with bios of early enrolles.
DORIAN BAKER | WR | 6-3 | 205 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...102913.JPG]
Hometown: Cleveland Heights, Ohio
High school: Cleveland Heights

UK bio: four-star prospect according to Rivals.com who is a mixture of size and speed at wide receiver … Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com … Rivals.com ranks him the 16th-best prospect in the state of Ohio and 42nd-best wide receiver in the nation … Had 24 receptions as a senior for 573 yards and six touchdowns … Averaged 23.9 yards per reception his senior year, including a season-long reception of 66 yards … Helped lead his team to the state playoffs two of the last three seasons, including the school's first-ever playoff win his senior season … Team finished with a 10-2 record … Coached by Jeff Rotsky … Chose Kentucky after numerous offers, including Indiana, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Illinois and Vanderbilt.

BLAKE BONE | WR | 6-5 | 200 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...15-120.JPG]
Hometown: Woodruff, S.C.
High school: Woodruff

UK bio: A four-star recruit by Rivals.com and three-star prospect by 247Sports.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com … Rivals.com ranks him the ninth-best player in the state of South Carolina and the 49th-best wide receiver in the nation … Scout.com's Kerry Fair says of Bone, "Should he continue his rate of growth and improvement we're comfortable saying he'll be a national level recruit … really smooth athlete with good size who will continue to add weight, get stronger and faster. Utilizes his size and body control well" … ESPN.com give him high marks for his hands and catching in traffic … First-team Class AAA all-state as a senior by the High School Sports Report … Had 72 receptions for 1,247 yards and eight touchdowns … Was selected to play in the 2014 Offense-Defense All-American Bowl … Also played in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, matching the South Carolina vs. North Carolina all-stars, and caught seven passes for 55 yards … Great junior year featured 65 catches for 1,150 yards and 14 touchdowns … Was named all-state, all-conference and all-county as a sophomore with 60 receptions for 1,057 yards and 10 touchdowns, helping his team to the state title game … Coached by Brian Lane … Also an all-state performer in basketball as a junior as selected by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association … Picked Kentucky after offers from Arkansas, Clemson, Louisville, Ole Miss and South Carolina.

TYMERE DUBOSE | DT | 6-5 | 280 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...100718.JPG]
Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio
High school: Youngstown Christian

UK bio: A three-star recruit by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247sports.com and ESPN.com … Ranked as the 40th-best player in the state of Ohio and 33rd-best strongside defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com … Considered the 46th-best defensive end in nation by Scout.com … 247Sports.com gives him high praise for his size and athleticism … Big, physical player that played on the defensive line and at tight end in high school … Second-team Division VII All-Ohio in 2013 by The Associated Press … Still has a lot of upside as he has only played two years of high school football … Coached by Brian Marrow … Also was a star basketball player in high school … Picked Kentucky after offers from Michigan State and West Virginia … Name is pronounced "du-BOSE."

MIKE EDWARDS | DB | 5-11 | 185 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...6_O100.JPG]
Hometown: Cincinnati
High school: Winton Woods

UK bio: A four-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com … Three-star prospect by 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Ranked as the 14th-best prospect in the state of Ohio and 25th-best safety in the nation by Rivals.com … Scout.com ranks him the 29th best cornerback in the nation and 256th-best prospect in the country … Explosive athlete who not only played defensive back in high school but also returned punts and kickoffs … Great senior season with six interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 46 tackles to go along with 13.7 yards per punt return including one for a touchdown … Had two interceptions in his team's first round playoff game in 2013, helping the squad advance to the second round … Named first-team Division II All-Ohio as a defensive back … … Had 92 tackles his junior year with five interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns and two fumbles forced … Returned nine kickoffs junior year for 248 yards and one touchdown … Was named special-mention all-state his junior year … Coached by Andre Parker … Had numerous offers but chose Kentucky over Louisville, Missouri, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Vanderbilt.

MATT ELAM | DT | 6-7 | 375 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/888/1510472.jpg]
Alex Holt/Special to Cats Illustrated
Hometown: Elizabethtown, Ky.
High school: John Hardin

UK bio: Big, physical defensive line prospect that is a five-star recruit by 247Sports.com and four prospect by Scout.com and ESPN.com … Rivals.com ranks him the No. 2 prospect in the Commonwealth of Kentucky … 247Sports.com ranks him the No. 13 defensive tackle in the nation and No. 164 prospect in the nation … Scout.com rates him the 11th-best defensive tackle prospect in the nation … Named a MaxPreps 2013 Medium Schools All-American … Named second-team All-USA by USA Today … Won the Paul Hornung Award as the Kentucky Player of the Year as a senior, totaling 85 tackles and four quarterback sacks … First-team all-state by The Associated Press and the Louisville Courier-Journal … Selected to the "Class of the Commonwealth" team by the Lexington Herald-Leader … Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl … Had 65 tackles as a sophomore with 19 tackles for loss, four sacks and three fumbles forced … Helped lead his high school to the semifinals of the 5A state playoffs his sophomore, junior and senior seasons … Was named first-team all-state by the Associated Press as a sophomore … Coached by Chad Lewis … Picked Kentucky over Alabama and Notre Dame … Numerous offers from Indiana, Louisville, Ohio State, Tennessee and others.

NICO FIRIOS | LB | 6-2 | 200 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...%20100.JPG]
Hometown: Longwood, Fla.
High school: Lyman

UK bio: Four-star recruit by ESPN.com and three-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports.com … ESPN.com ranks him the 19th-best linebacker in the nation and gives him high grades for diagnosing skills and tackling … Scout.com ranks him the 48th-best outside linebacker prospect in the nation … Scout.com says strength are aggressiveness, lateral movement and tackling technique … Jamie Newberg of Scout.com: "Firios is a tough and physical linebacker that is really good against the run. When things come his way he can fill the hole and make the play. Firios can shed the blocker and get to the ball. He can play sideline to sideline and get to the perimeter … He plays with outstanding instincts and is a good, sound tackler" … Ranked No. 7 in the Orlando Sentinel's 2014 Central Florida Super60 … Named First-Team Class 8A Preseason All-State by FloridaHighSchoolFootball.com … Had 40 tackles his sophomore season with nine tackles for loss, one sack and two fumbles forced … Coached by Jeff Gierke … Had many offers but eventually chose Kentucky over Louisville, Wisconsin and Arizona … Name is pronounced "NEE-ko FEER-ee-ose."

RYAN FLANNIGAN | LB | 6-3 | 230 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...%20100.JPG]
Hometown: Missouri City, Texas
Junior college: Blinn College

UK bio: Impressive junior college linebacker with good size and athleticism that has also seen time as a defensive back … Three-star prospect by Rivals.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … No. 90 in Rivals.com juco Top 100 and No. 18 juco inside linebacker … Ranked as the 111th juco prospect by 247Sports.com … Strong freshman year at Blinn with 45 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack … Also played well his sophomore season with 22 tackles with two interceptions, including one for a touchdown … Coached at Blinn by Ronny Feldman … Had a great career at Marshall High School (Missouri City, Texas), earning all-district and all-state honors … Was on the Rivals.com Texas Top 11 and ESPN Top 200 out of high school, ranked as the sixth-best outside linebacker in the state of Texas … Put up amazing numbers his junior and senior years of high school, recording 120 tackles with eight sacks, two fumble recoveries and one touchdown as a junior … Senior year he had 101 tackles with three sacks and two touchdowns … Chose Kentucky after offers from Arizona State, Cincinnati, Houston and Texas Tech.
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GARRETT JOHNSON | WR | 5-11 | 175 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...00_2_7.JPG]
Hometown: Winter Garden, Fla.
High school: West Orange

UK bio: A three-star recruit by Rivals.com, 247Sports.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com … Rivals.com ranks him the 96th-best player in the state of Florida and the 99th-best wide receiver in the nation … ESPN.com rates him the 84th-best prospect in Florida and 64th-best wide receiver in the nation … Scout.com lists his strengths as elusiveness with catch, hands and concentration and running ability … Jamie Newberg from Scout.com says, "Johnson is a wide receiver that has played as an outside guy and in the slot … Johnson does a real nice job of catching the ball and getting up field. Johnson has good speed but better quickness. As a pass catcher he looks natural and it seems to come easy for him. He shows he can be explosive and get behind a secondary" … First-team all-state as a senior by the Associated Press … Ended senior season with 49 receptions for 1,187 yards and 19 touchdowns … Great sophomore season with 58 receptions for 1,014 yards and 11 touchdowns and followed that with 49 receptions his junior season for 685 yards and seven touchdowns … Also rushed some in high school with nearly 500 yards rushing and seven rushing touchdowns … Helped lead his team to the regional quarterfinals in the 8A Florida state playoffs … Named all-area his senior year by the Orlando Sentinel … Coached by Bob Head … Picked Kentucky after offers from Arizona, Boston College, Florida, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Northwestern, South Florida and Vanderbilt.

JOSH KROK | OL | 6-8 | 325 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...21_100.JPG]
Hometown: Niles, Ohio
High school: McKinley

UK bio: Talented and physical offensive line prospect who is a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Division III All-Ohio second team in 2013 … Ranked as the No. 23 player in the state of Ohio and the No. 39 offensive tackle in the nation by Rivals.com … ESPN.com ranks him the 54th-best offensive tackle in the nation … Named Associated Press Northeast Inland District Division III first team … Was named the No. 2 offensive performer at the Pittsburgh Rivals Camp … Helped his team to eight wins his junior season … Coached by Brian Shaner … Tabbed Kentucky over West Virginia, additional offers included Cincinnati and Louisville.

JARRETT LARUBBIO | OL | 6-6 | 280 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...COPY-2.JPG]
Hometown: Cleveland Heights, Ohio
High school: Cleveland Heights

UK bio: A three-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Rivals.com ranks him the 27th-best player in the state of Ohio and 20th-best offensive guard in the nation … Scout.com ranks him the 28th-best offensive guard in the nation … Physical and athletic lineman had a great senior season, helping his high school team rush for nearly 3,000 yards, averaging 6.2 yards per carry … Named 2013 first-team Division I All-Ohio by The Associated Press … Helped his team win eight games his junior year, including its first-round playoff game … ESPN.com gives him high marks for his space blocking and physicality … Named to the U.S. National Football Team … Picked UK over North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Nebraska, North Carolina, Washington, Louisville, Maryland, Georgia Tech and Arizona State … Name is pronounced lah-RUE-bee-o."

DARRYL LONG | TE | 6-4 | 225 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...7_O100.JPG]
Hometown: Westerville, Ohio
High school: South

UK bio: Three-star tight end by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … ESPN.com rates him the 19th-best tight end in the nation and the 33rd-best prospect in the state of Ohio … Columbus Dispatch All-Metro Football Team special mention … Helped his team win eight games his junior season, while the Wildcats won nine games his freshman season … Coached by Rocky Pentello … Chose Kentucky over a host of schools, including offers from Louisville, Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana, North Carolina, Purdue, Illinois and Boston College.

ADRIAN MIDDLETON | DT | 6-3 | 275 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...TON100.JPG]
Hometown: Bowling Green, Ky.
High school: South Warren

UK bio: Three-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Ranked the fourth-best player in the Commonwealth of Kentucky … Considered the 55th-best defensive tackle in the nation by ESPN.com … First-team all-state as a senior by The Associated Press and the Louisville Courier-Journal … Class of the Commonwealth selection by the Lexington Herald-Leader … Max Preps 2013 Small Schools All-American First-Team Defense honoree … Had 67 total tackles as a senior, including an astounding 26 tackles for loss, with nine quarterback sacks … Had two fumble recoveries and one fumble recovery for a touchdown … Helped his team advance to the KHSAA state quarterfinals his junior and senior seasons … Finished 11-2 his senior season … Had 59 tackles has a junior … Played in the 2014 Offense-Defense All-American Bowl … Coached by Mark Nelson … Chose Kentucky after scholarship offers from Louisville, Indiana and Missouri … First player in the three-year history of the school to sign a scholarship with a Division I school.

KENDALL RANDOLPH | DB | 6-0 | 175 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT..._22_10.JPG]
Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla.
High school: Lincoln

UK bio: Four-star prospect by Rivals.com and ESPN.com … Three-star prospect by Scout.com and 247Sports.com … Rivals.com ranks him the 50th-best prospect in the state of Florida … ESPN.com rates him the 48th-best prospect in the state of Florida and the 21st-best cornerback in the nation … No. 284 in ESPN's Top 300 … ESPN gives him high praise for his zone coverage, ball skills, run support and instincts … Had a great senior season with 59 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, seven pass breakups and one fumble recovery … First-team Class 7A all-state by The Associated Press … Junior year was also good with 27 tackles, two tackles for loss, six interceptions, seven pass breakups and one fumble recovery … Skilled kickoff and punt returner … Also played some at quarterback, completing over 60 percent of his passes … Helped his team advance to the regional semifinals of the state playoffs his senior season … Won the 7A state championship as a freshman and was 7A runner-up his junior season … Coached by Yusuf Shakir … List of offers included Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, Miami (Fla.), Ole Miss, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, UCLA and Vanderbilt.

NICK RICHARDSON | OL | 6-4 | 270 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...0_0708.JPG]
Hometown: Westerville, Ohio
High school: Central

UK bio: Talented offensive lineman from Ohio who is a four-star prospect by Rivals.com … Ranked as the eighth-best player in the state of Ohio and the No. 217 overall prospect in Rivals.com Top 250 … Three-star prospect by Scout.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Played in the 2014 Offense-Defense All-American Bowl … ESPN.com gives him high praise for his physicality … Named first-team Division I All-Ohio by The Associated Press … Helped Westerville Central High School to a 10-2 record his senior season … His blocking up front helped the Warhawks rush for over 237 yards per game and score 44 rushing touchdowns … Played some defense in high school with 11 tackles last season … Helped lead the team to the second round of the state playoffs and a No. 28 final state ranking … Coached by John Magistro … Chose Kentucky after offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and West Virginia.
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JERVONTIUS STALLINGS | OL | 6-3 | 320 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/888/1512598.jpg]
University of Kentucky
Hometown: Hoover, Ala.
High school: Spain Park

UK bio: A three-star prospect by 247Sports.com … 247Sports.com ranks him one of the top-20 offensive centers in the nation and a top-40 recruit in the state of Alabama … Helped his team to the 6A Region 4 Championship last season … Started his high school career in Mississippi before moving to Alabama … His play in 2013 helped his team rush for 1300 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns … Coached by Shawn Raney … Picked Kentucky over Mississippi State and Colorado … Name is pronounced "jer-VON-tee-us" … Brother of Tre' Stallings, former offensive lineman at Ole Miss and the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, who now works for the Southeastern Conference.

LLOYD TUBMAN | DE | 6-5 | 225 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...6_O100.JPG]
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.
High school: Seneca

UK bio: Four-star recruit by 247Sports.com and a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com … Rivals.com ranks him the No. 4 player in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and No. 34 weakside defensive end in the nation, while 247Sports.com rates him No. 3 prospect in Kentucky and No. 12 weakside defensive end in the nation … Second-team all-state by The Associated Press in 2013 … Had a great junior year with Seneca High School with 79 tackles, 22.5 sacks and seven fumbles caused … Coached by Lavell Boyd … Performed at the Columbus Nike Football Training Camp and was a standout performer … Chose Kentucky after having favored Vanderbilt and Penn State earlier … Also had offers from Louisville and Nebraska.

JARED TUCKER | DB | 5-11 | 170 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...9_O100.JPG]
Hometown: Stone Mountain, Ga.
High school: Stephenson

UK bio: Three-star recruit by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Ranked as the 49th-best player in the state of Georgia by Rivals.com … Led his team to the second round of the playoffs last year, while advancing to the quarterfinals his junior season … Strong senior season with 25 tackles and one tackle for loss to go along with a strong showing in kickoff and punt returns … Great junior season with 50 tackles with three tackles for loss and five interceptions … Also an outstanding track athlete at Stephenson High School … Will rejoin former Stephenson stars Ronnie Shields and Jabari Johnson at UK … Coached by Ron Gartrell … Picked Kentucky after offers from Cincinnati, Connecticut, Florida State, Indiana, Ohio State, South Carolina, South Florida and Vanderbilt.

KOBIE WALKER | LB | 6-3 | 200 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...0_4_10.JPG]
Hometown: Olney, Md.
High school: Our Lady of Good Counsel

UK bio: Three-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Ranked as the No. 17 player in the state of Maryland by Rivals.com … ESPN.com ranks him the No. 11 player in the state and No. 35 safety in the nation … 2013 Private School First-Team All-State … Had 35 tackles as a senior, including seven for loss, two fumbles caused, a pass interception and four pass breakups … Good junior year with 29 tackles and two interceptions … Named a 2013 MaxPreps Maryland Preseason All-State honoree … Helped his team to a state championship his sophomore season and an 11-1 record his junior year … Was selected to play in the 2014 Offense-Defense All-American Bowl … Coached by Bob Milloy … Chose Kentucky after offers from Boston College, Hawaii, Miami (Fla.), North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, Old Dominion, Rutgers, Syracuse and Wisconsin.

DENZEL WARE | DE | 6-2 | 240 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...2_O100.JPG]
Hometown: Crestview, Fla.
High school: Senior

UK bio: A four-star prospect by 247Sports.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com and a three-star recruit by Rivals.com … Scout.com ranks him the No. 26 defensive end in the nation listing his strengths as backside pursuit, lateral range and speed … Rivals.com says, "Ware has a lot of raw ability. He is athletic and can run well. He has very long arms for someone 6-foot-3. Has a quick first step coming off the ball. He also pursues the ball very well from the backside and show the ability to play from sideline to sideline … Has some great tools to work with at the next level" … ESPN.com ranks him No. 113 in its ESPN Top 300 list ... ESPN.com ranks him the 20th-best prospect in the talent-rich state of Florida and the 12th-best defensive end in the nation … Class 7A third-team all-state as a senior … Accumulated 56 tackles, 12 quarterback sacks and three caused fumbles … Was a first-team all-state selection as a junior … Selected to play in the 2014 Offense-Defense All-American Bowl … Coached by Tim Hatten … Chose Kentucky after offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas, USC and Vanderbilt.

DARIUS WEST | DB | 6-0 | 200 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...9_O100.JPG]
Hometown: Lima, Ohio
High school: Central Catholic

UK bio: Four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Ranked as the No. 219 overall prospect in Rivals.com Top 250 and ninth-best in the state of Ohio … ESPN.com ranks him the eighth-best player in the state of Ohio and the 18th-best cornerback in the nation … ESPN.com also ranks him No. 248 on the ESPN Top 300 and praises his zone coverage and ball skills … Scout.com ranks him the No. 21 safety in the nation … Played in only two games as a senior because of injury … According to 247Sports.com, he had 47 tackles as a junior with five interceptions, two fumbles forced, one fumble recovery and one interception returned for a touchdown leading his team to the second round of the state tournament … As a sophomore, he had 69 tackles, one interception and one fumble forced as his team went to the state semifinals … Coached by Jerry Cooper … Picked Kentucky over a long list of offers, including Cincinnati, Illinois, Louisville, Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Vanderbilt, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

STANLEY WILLIAMS | RB | 5-9 | 190 |
[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...9_O100.JPG]
Hometown: Monroe, Ga.
High school: George Walton Academy

UK bio: Four-star recruit by Rivals.com, 247Sports.com and ESPN.com … Ranked as the No. 118 overall prospect in Rivals.com Top 250 and the eighth-best player in the state of Georgia … At one point, Rivals.com ranked him the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation … Ranked No. 208 in ESPN.com's Top 300 … ESPN.com ranks him the 16th-best running back in the nation and 19th-best player in the state of Georgia … Played in the 2014 Offense-Defense All-American Bowl, rushing six times for 45 yards and a touchdown, earning Most Valuable Player honors in the process … Rushed for 1,416 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior … Atlanta Journal-Constitution All-Metro first team selection in 2013 … Great junior season with 207 carries for 1948 yards and 24 rushing touchdowns … Coached by Don Williams … Originally committed to Georgia before coming to Kentucky and chose the Wildcats over offers from Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1606380
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Late change of heart leads Tubman to Kentucky
T.J. Walker
CatsIllustrated.com Recruiting Analyst

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Mom was shocked.

If things had played out differently there's no way Lloyd Tubman would have put on a Kentucky hat Wednesday morning.

Had UK not hired Mark Stoops, had James Franklin not left Vanderbilt and had the Wildcats not done such a great job convincing Tubman Kentucky was the place for him, Tubman would have signed elsewhere.

But as fate would have it, UK ended up with the three-star defensive end from Louisville Seneca High School.

"I called (Stoops) earlier this morning and let him know that we were excited about our decision-making," Tubman said in a press conference before teammates, family, friends and media. "…It was all happy. Coach (Jimmy) Brumbaugh, (D.J.) Eliot and (Neal) Brown, the head coach and everybody."

Tubman said he knew UK was the place for him after last weekend. He visited Kentucky in January and also visited Louisville and Penn State. He was originally committed to Vanderbilt and figured he would keep his commitment to Franklin once he left the Commodores to lead Penn State.

But after visiting both schools, something changed. Mainly his status with the Nittany Lions.

"When Coach Franklin left his initial thing was to go with him because he had so much love for Coach Franklin," Seneca head coach LaVell Boyd said. "I think when he went up on the trip he saw it a little different because he went to Kentucky the week before. I think Kentucky did a great job of flipping him because his love for Coach Franklin was undeniable.

"Until a point last week I wasn't even sure. I didn't think he would go to Kentucky yet. But he made the best decision for him."

Tubman was surrounded at a table with five other teammates from Seneca. Those players announced where they were heading to college before Tubman, front and center, picked up a blue UK hat underneath the table.

The crowd erupted when he said he would attend the University of Kentucky.

"I liked every part of the visit, I liked it very much," Tubman said. "The coaches were very persistent as in the information of their history and their track record tells a lot leaving Florida State and coming to the University of Kentucky."

Tubman was the feather in the cap of UK's 2014 recruiting class. The Cats finished with 28 signees and currently rank No. 14 in the Rivals rankings.

The 6-foot-3, 228-pound end wasn't discouraged by Kentucky's 2-10 season.

"It tells a lot because you know last season, a season ago, didn't go as well but that's what happen when you have a transition coming from a different school and starting a solid foundation and bringing up a program," Tubman said. "I think Kentucky is going to be on the rise and reach higher peaks and everything.

"But it tells a lot even going 2-9, 2-10 last year and still having this recruiting class."

Tubman said he wouldn't have ended up at UK if Franklin never left Vanderbilt. It also seemed unlikely he would be a Cat because when he visited Kentucky his mom, Warneeta Cooper, didn't attend the visit.

She had to work, and didn't like the idea of Tubman being sold without her approval.

"I was shocked," Cooper said. "I was actually shocked. When I asked him why Kentucky because he did go on the visit I didn't go to Kentucky visit because I was working and his sister escorted him."

But it was just because she cared.

"Knowing who I am I want to be on top of things and be informed," she said. "I was so disappointed because he led me to other colleges for visits. But afterwards I understood. I got in touch with the coaches."

Cooper said she supports her son's decision 100 percent and plans on visiting UK next week. She and Tubman are happy the recruiting process is over.

"Yes, it's been overwhelming and so controversial…," Cooper said. "I am proud. It hasn't been easy to raise such a son like that but for the way he turned out I am one of the most proud mothers. He's a good child. He's my husband. He's my father. He's my everything."

And Boyd said he's everything the Cats should want in a football player.

"He's a great student, has over a 3.0 (gpa)," Boyd said. "I probably can say he's never had a (detention) since he's been in high school. He's a great kid and when people meet him they have nothing but great things to say about him."

On the field he'll only get better. He's only been playing football for three years. Tubman said he would be open to redshirting, which is rare among top recruits.

"What you have to understand is he understands what he is," Boyd said. "He's a very humble person. He's not a person that thinks he has all the answers yet. He's a kid that, you know, has a realistic outlook. He knows he has a lot to learn. Physically he's gifted, but when it comes to understanding football and playing football he's only been playing three years.

"You get a kid like that redshirt year, a year in the weight room with the numbers he already has you're looking at a monster. I really mean that, I think he's going to be a kid that's one of the better players in the country in three or four years."

But he's not scared to compete either.

"I'm a very competitive person," Tubman said. "I'll go down there and compete to my full potential.

"…Whatever the decision is when I go down there throughout the summer. Coach is going to tell me what's best for me and I'm not in a hurry getting on the field. I want to be fully developed and be ready for SEC football because it's not just going into any conference. It's one of the biggest and strongest conferences and you have to be ready for that."

In his senior season with Seneca, Tubman told Cats Illustrated he finished with seven sacks, 71 solo tackles, 23 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries.

"It's not every day you find a young man that's 6-5, 230-pounds, runs a 4.5, benches over 300 pound, jumps over 36 inches," Boyd said. "That's NFL numbers. What Lloyd needs is person that can hone him in and teach him all the things he needs to know about football. He hasn't been a football player his whole life. He's learning football and when he gets that program on him the sky's the limit."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1606623
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
LOSERS QUIT WHEN THEY'RE TIRED, WINNERS QUIT WHEN THEY HAVE WON
Cat Scratch Fever Wrote:Nice get! We need to build that line up to give our QB's some protection, great job Coach Stoops and staff!

Nice private message, Cat Patch Fever....thanks for the confirmation.
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