[LeeCoUKFan]

Ware talks about decision to commit early to UK

Justin Rowland
Special to CatsIllustrated.com

Denzel Ware is a four-star football player from the Deep South and he committed to Kentucky in February, one year before he has to sign anywhere.

Those things just don't happen. At least they aren't supposed to happen if history repeats itself all the time.

The fact that Ware verbally pledged to Kentucky less than a week ago is more evidence that things are changing in Lexington, and the Wildcats haven't even played a game under Mark Stoops.

The one-time Florida State commit attended Crestview High School in Florida last year but he now calls Opp (Ala.) home. He was recently honored with membership in the first edition of the Rivals250 for the Class of 2014, where he holds down the No. 223 spot.

Ware had offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Texas and Southern Cal, among others. So why did he buck conventional wisdom and select Kentucky?

"I had a great relationship with Coach (Mark) Stoops and Coach (D.J.) Eliot and when they left Florida State to go over to Lexington I de-committed from Florida State. I kept in touch with Coach Stoops and Coach Eliot and just decided that Kentucky is where I want to be," he said.

He has been in contact with Stoops and Eliot on a near-weekly basis and felt comfortable enough with the coaches to commit to Kentucky even though he has never visited the school. He hopes to make his first trip to Lexington in the summer.

"They're real energetic and intense coaches," Ware said.

And their track record as coaches speaks for itself.

"Look at Brandon Jenkins for Florida State and all the other guys (they coached)," he said. "That's the proof. Those are the facts."

Maybe there's a reason Ware cited Jenkins. At 6-foot-2 and 220-pounds, Ware is an elite athlete and a dominant pass-rushing force, but there will be those that question whether he has the size to play with his hand in the dirt. Jenkins wasn't a towering presence on the edge, either.

Just because Ware is verbally committed to Kentucky doesn't mean other schools are going to back off.

"The day after I committed to Kentucky I got an NC State offer. Other schools are still trying to recruit me," Ware said. "I still have my options but as of now Kentucky is where I want to go and that's probably where I'll sign.

"I'm most definitely going to take my official visits in the fall just to check out every school. I want to take an official (to Kentucky) too, just to see how the program's going to be, to meet the players and see what they have to say. At the end of the day that will probably be my choice and where I want to be."

Opp's football team begins spring practice on Monday and Ware believes his role will be similar to what it was at his last stop: Rush the passer and disrupt.

That's exactly what Stoops and Eliot want from him at Kentucky.

"I know I do well pass-rushing off the weak side," he said. "I think (Kentucky will) let me come off the weak side and move me to outside linebacker on certain plays. That's what I'll be doing for them."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1473055