[LeeCoUKFan]

Four-star linebacker giving Cats a chance

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Josh Smith knows that some will assume he's a Vanderbilt lock but he's intent on giving every school an honest look.

The four-star linebacker is an elite 2015 prospect from Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Oakland and his brother isn't bad either. Emmanuel Smith is a four-star senior safety from the same school and he committed to Vanderbilt in March.

Both prospects were in Commonwealth Stadium for Kentucky's game against Alabama, but only one was open to a future with the Wildcats, apparently.

"(Emmanuel) is 100 percent solid to Vandy," the younger Smith said this week. "If he makes a trip to another college it's only to support me and my recruiting process. It would be nice to play with my brother but I'm not going to base my college decision mainly off that."

Kentucky has been recruiting the younger Smith for weeks now and the interest is easy to understand. The 6-foot-3, 228-pound prospect already has offers from Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Through the first half of his junior season Smith has 35 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass deflection. He also has three catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.

While Kentucky couldn't hang with the Crimson Tide after the first quarter Smith said there were positives to take from his visit.

"It was a great atmosphere. I didn't really get to talk to the coaches much but it was a good overall first time visit," Smith said. "Nice campus, scenery and stadium. They didn't get the win but they fought and played hard."

And sometimes early in a coaching staff's tenure a loss like that can reveal something positive for recruits.

"It would be great to have the opportunity for early playing (time) there. If I have progressed enough to play early then I could do so. But on the other hand I could be fine with not playing early if I'm not prepared to take that playing time yet," he added.

Smith has also visited Tennessee and Vanderbilt this year and said no school is standing out.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?C...&PT=4&PR=2