[LeeCoUKFan]

JUCO safety Keys getting SEC looks

Justin Rowland
Special to CatsIllustrated.com

Coming out of Seminary (Miss.) two years ago it was well-established that Josh Keys had the talent to play college football at the highest level.

Keys had been recruited by Ole Miss and Mississippi State but it became clear over time that he wasn't going to qualify academically. Specifically it was his ACT score that needed some work, he told Cats Illustrated.

Now he's preparing for his second year at Perkinston (Miss.) Gulf Coast C.C. His first year was certainly a good one, as he accounted for 41 tackles, seven tackles for loss, an interception and 10 pass break-ups.

Now Keys claims offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Cincinnati, Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and West Virginia, just to list the BCS conference schools.

"It's all been recently, just since the spring," Keys said. "It was from when (schools) came and watched me in spring practice and I guess they saw (his film)."

Most schools project the 6-foot-2, 180-pound athlete as a safety but Baylor and Kansas State have mentioned the possibility of letting him play corner.

Keys said he hasn't visited any four-year schools yet and he doesn't know what to expect. Because of that he doesn't have any favorites.

He did say that a few schools seem to be recruiting him the hardest.

"I know Kansas State is recruiting me real hard, and Ole Miss," he said. "Mississippi State and Oklahoma State really are too. It's a couple more talking to me every week."

What about Kentucky?

"I talked to Kentucky during spring ball," he said. "They got in touch with me then. They've been talking to me some. I don't remember the coach's name but he's whoever recruits Mississippi.

"He told me one time the coaches want me to play safety on defense for them and I need to come up and take a visit up there to see how the campus is."

Keys said he plans to take official visits during his season. He plans to announce his college choice sometime in the fall or close to the winter.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1517279