[LeeCoUKFan]

Cats give Georgia saftey first scholarship offer

Justin Rowland
Special to CatsIllustrated.com

Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding safety Khalia Hackett got some big news recently when Kentucky became the first school to offer him a scholarship.

Of course, it's only a verbal offer but it serves as notice that the Wildcats would accept a commitment from the Peach State prospect. Hackett's coach let him know the good news at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning and it's news that radically alters Hackett's future.

[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...16_200.JPG]

Not only does Hackett now know he can play college football. He can play SEC football, and it's likely a sign of more offers to come.

Now 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, Hackett has run the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds. He's already big for a college safety so there's a chance he could move down to outside linebacker and that's something Hackett said he would be willing to do.

"I'm more of a coverage guy but I can get up in an alley and stop the run when I need to," Hackett said. "That's what I'm about."

Hackett has visited Tennessee and he said the Vols have stood out ever since. But now that Kentucky has offered the Wildcats are also standing out.

The offer came as a surprise to Hackett.

"I was happy about it. I was excited," Hackett said. "I was surprised it was from Kentucky. I filled out a questionnaire and sent them my film but they hadn't sent me anything, so I was surprised.

"I called the defensive coordinator (D.J. Eliot), the safeties coach (Bradley Dale Peveto) and coach (Derrick) Ansley, all three of them. They just said that they saw my film and they liked what I have to offer. They liked my hips, my size and how fast I was and they told me how I would fit into the new defensive scheme they've got coming in."

The next step in Kentucky's courtship of Hackett is an unofficial visit, something that's likely to happen before too long.

"Oh yes, I'm going to make that visit," he said. "Me and my parents will be planning that visit out."

Tennessee, LSU and Georgia Tech are among the other schools showing interest in Hackett.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1474850