Kentucky football lands a top recruit over elite programs
The Kentucky Wildcats picked up a big win in recruiting.
The Kentucky Wildcats are not known for being a dominant football school. However, that narrative has started to change since Mark Stoops took over as head coach in 2013. His first few years were rough, but the Wildcats enter 2020 with two straight seasons ending with a bowl victory.
The team has gone a combined 18-8 the past two seasons and is beginning to become a more respected member of the SEC. That is only more true after the program landed top offensive line recruit Jager Burton this weekend.
Kentucky convinces Burton to stay home
Burton is the top football recruit in the state and happens to be a Lexington native. His hometown didn’t stop other big programs from trying to sway him to leave.
Jager Burton, No. 1 player in the state, four-star offensive guard (ranked No. 8 nationally at his position by both Rivals and 247) has committed to Kentucky. That's a huge one. All the big boys tried to steal him.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) August 30, 2020
The offensive guard was given offers from the likes of Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Oregon. But he chose to stay in Kentucky and that will show other recruits that the Wildcats are not a pushover in the SEC.
Winning bowl games is a good start for the Wildcats when it comes to recruiting. The fact Burton lives in Lexington gave Kentucky a huge advantage. But he likely would have gone elsewhere if the team was still finishing with 2-10 records like when Stoops first showed up.
Next. Kentucky football schedule 2020. dark
Wildcats fans are a lucky group that get to see their team play this fall. This season will have a different feel, but is yet another opportunity to show off to potential recruits. The program has clearly risen to a level where someone like Burton decided it was worth it not just personally, but for his football career to stay close to home.