Dekel Crowdus, left, and Jager Burton signed their UK scholarship papers on Wednesday. (Teresa Burton Photo)
Recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow told Bowling Green tight end Jordan Dingle that he had to save his job.
“I thought coach (Mark) Stoops would fire me if I did not get him,” said Marrow. “We offered him as a sophomore. Very excited to have him. He is very athletic.”
Obviously Stoops was not going to fire his lead recruiter but that shows the priority the Cats put on in-state recruiting and it paid off with seven Kentuckians signing with the Wildcats Wednesday. Kentucky signed 18 total players.
Joining Dingle in UK’s in-state recruiting haul were Frederick Douglass four-star teammates Dekel Crowdus (receiver) and Jager Burton (offensive lineman) along with North Hardin teammates La’Vell Wright (running back) and Jordan Lovett (defensive back). Somerset quarterback Kaiya Sheron also signed with the Cats.
The final in-state player the Cats landed was linebacker Justice Dingle, a transfer from Georgia Tech and Jordan Dingle’s brother. Some speculated that taking Justice Dingle was part of his brother’s commitment. Marrow said that was not true.
“If we did not get Jordan, we were still recruiting Justice,” Marrow said. “We are getting an older guy coming in with experience and a great work ethic. Kind of reminds me of Josh Paschal, same type personality.”
Three years ago Kentucky did not sign an in-state player. After that, Stoops made Marrow the lead recruiter in Kentucky and the in-state recruiting has flourished. However, the UK head coach also said part of the numbers is due to the job Kentucky high school coaches have been doing.
“I think the big storyline for this class is the state of Kentucky,” Stoops said. “I really feel like that was a priority for us coming into it, and we really worked the state exceptionally hard.
“Since I’ve been here, there’s been so much growth. It’s been getting so much better. These coaches do an exceptional job, and the product on the field is paying off. It’s so much better, top to bottom, than it was early on (after he got to Kentucky).”
Marrow agreed and said the 2022 recruiting class in Kentucky is “loaded” with talent as well.
“It’s going to another level,” Marrow said.
Marrow wouldn’t say UK’s in-state haul was better than 2016 when Landon Young, Drake Jackson, Devontae Robinson and Kash Daniel all signed with UK. They have been part of Citrus Bowl and Belk Bowl wins as well as winning 18 games combined in 2018 and 2019.
“Kentucky high school football is really getting good to where we can recruit our own kids and sign seven or eight (each year). That athletes are better,” Marrow said.
The crown jewels of the class are Burton and Crowdus. The 6-4, 290-pound Burton had offers from the nation’s best programs including Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State. Marrow said he runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7-4.8 seconds. Stoops called Burton a “difference maker” and then really poured on the praise.
“He’s a different guy,” Stoops said. “He’s a difference-maker. He’s an impact player. He runs and moves as well as any offensive lineman I’ve been around. I know he’s only going to get here and get better, but he has such a strong work ethic. He’s such a great young man, a great family.
“He’s a different type of guy. He’s just very humble. He works extremely hard, but he’s unbelievably athletic.”
The 5-10, 170-pound Crowdus had the same type offers as Burton. He left Frederick Douglass as a junior to play in Florida before returning this season. He finished his career with 91 catches for 1505 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Marrow said he can run a “4.3 all day” in the 40-yard dash.
“The kids has a 46-inch vertical (jump). That’s why he is so explosive,” Marrow said.
“Those guys (Burton and Crowdus) are our difference-makers,” Stoops said. “They’ve been a priority of ours since two or three years ago.”
The UK recruiting coordinator said the Cats “got the guys we needed to get” Wednesday to keep building the program.
Stoops did say the Cats expected to add a “few more” signees and that he was also holding scholarship spots for expected transfers like Justice Dingle.
