Dane Key is the top-rated player in Kentucky in the 2022 football recruiting class and the Frederick Douglass receiver already has 12 scholarship offers with more likely on the way as both Ohio State and Notre Dame seemed on the verge of offering the talented receiver before COVID-19 halted football activities.
Key’s father, Donta, played for Kentucky. His older brother, Devon, plays at Western Kentucky. It’s no wonder his football instincts are one of his best traits.
“Dane just does a lot of things well,” Frederick Douglass coach Nathan McPeek said. “He’s got excellent hands. I don’t remember many balls that he has dropped.”
That’s why not only has Kentucky offered a scholarship, but so have Oregon, Purdue, Tennessee, West Virginia, Michigan State, Louisville, Western Kentucky, Georgia State, Cincinnati, Maryland, and Marshall.
Normally he would have already been attending camps on various college campuses to give even more coaches a chance to see his skills. Instead, he’s had to find ways to work out with teammates and others in Lexington.
“It’s not the best situation. Times are tough right now. You have just got to stay positive and think positive,” Key said. “I am trying to do the best I can to stay in shape, keep my strength up, or even get stronger.”
A picture of Key soaring high in the air on an outdoor basketball court hit Twitter recently and created a bit of a stir. Key has not played basketball in high school — he’s a starting center fielder in baseball — but admits he has missed playing.
“That’s just a normal thing I do,” Key said of the basketball photo. “I used to play basketball a lot and do miss it at times. But I was just having some fun in that picture.”
