Feb. 7, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 2009 Kentucky football signing class is arguably its best in recent years.
The Scout.com evaluation currently has UK listed 26 th in the nation, its highest mark for information available since 2002. (It should be noted that Scout.com has two players on its UK commitment list that have not signed with the Wildcats.) In addition, UK checks in at No. 42 on Rivals.com, the second-highest rating with that group.
For comparison, here are the national rankings each year with information available on Rivals and Scout since 2002:
| Year | Rivals.com | Scout.com |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 94 | 70 |
| 2003 | 63 | 54 |
| 2004 | 45 | 52 |
| 2005 | 67 | 62 |
| 2006 | 36 | 34 |
| 2007 | 54 | 58 |
| 2008 | 57 | 53 |
| 2009 | 42 | 26 |
What They’ve Written About Wildcat Recruiting: Here are some writings on UK’s recruiting class …
- “Kentucky is here to stay as a competitor in the (SEC) East.” – Tom Luginbill, Scouts Inc. / ESPN
- “This is the best recruiting class Rich Brooks has signed in his six years at Kentucky. You can never be sure about these things. The future is fickle. But this class has size. It has speed. It has depth. It has multiple stars sitting beside the names of multiple players. It has an excitability factor.” – John Clay, columnist, Lexington Herald-Leader
- “Brooks’ Recruits are Aligned with Stars” – headline in the Louisville Courier-Journal
- “The University of Kentucky recruiting staff always seems to dig up some sleeper prospects that turn into major contributors in the SEC.” – Barton Simmons, Rivals.com
Three Wildcats Invited to NFL Combine: Three Kentucky Wildcats, punter/kicker Tim Masthay, free safety Marcus McClinton and defensive tackle Myron Pryor, have been invited to the National Football League Scouting Combine, which will be held Feb. 18-24 in Indianapolis, Ind.
Masthay led the SEC and was fifth in the nation in punting with a 45.2-yard average in the 2008 season. It is the second-highest single-season average in school history and he received first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors. Masthay’s booming kickoffs also could be an asset to an NFL team. He had 23 kickoff touchbacks in ’08, the second-highest total in the SEC, and he led the SEC in that category in 2007. He also has value as a holder on placekicks.
McClinton was an active ballhawk throughout his career. He had 10 interceptions, fourth-best in school history. He also had nine pass breakups and caused eight fumbles as a Wildcat.
Pryor brings notable quickness, strength and explosion to the defensive tackle position. He earned second-team All-SEC honors as a senior. He made 36 tackles, 11 for loss, with 4.5 quarterback sacks, two fumbles caused (both of which were returned for touchdowns) and his 72-yard fumble rumble for a touchdown at Louisville.
Brooks Call-in Show on Wednesday, Feb. 11: There will be a special edition of the Coach Rich Brooks radio call-in show on Wednesday, Feb. 11, from 6-7 p.m. EST. The show will be carried on the radio affiliates of the Big Blue Sports Network, including WLAP Radio (630 on the AM dial) in the Lexington area. This will be the first call-in show since the end of the 2008 season and gives fans a chance to discuss Kentucky’s 25-19 win over East Carolina in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, along with the recently completed recruiting class that is ranked 26th in the nation by Scout.com.
