Jon Sumrall helped persuade four players from Alabama and Georgia to sign with UK (Photo - Kentucky Sports Radio)
Vince Marrow is known as Kentucky football’s recruiting guru who just continues to work his magic bringing talent to UK. However, the UK recruiting coordinator says not to overlook what linebacker coach Jon Sumrall is doing and will continue to do.
“Jon Summerall is a good recruiter. He gives me a run for my money,” Marrow said. “I can see Jon coming in my home and recruiting my son and us falling in love with him and say, ‘Hey, you got to play for this guy,'” Marrow said.
“He’s a very personal guy. He can adapt to any situation. He don’t see color. He don’t see economic status. He’s just a guy. He’s a good guy.”
Sumrall was the main recruiter on receivers Christian Lewis of Alabama and Chauncey Magwood of Georgia along with defensive lineman Kahlil Saunders of Alabama and linebacker Martez Thrower of Georgia.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops called Lewis and Magwood both “difference makers” and referred to Thrower and Saunders as “really good players” on signing day when they were part of UK’s 2021 recruiting class.
“Jon does a remarkable job, he really does. He’s very versatile. I feel like you could throw him anywhere and he’d recruit well, but to go down south and get four difference makers says a lot about him and how hard he works at it,” Stoops said.
“In particular to sign two impact receivers, him alone signing the two impact receivers, with us struggling to throw the ball a year ago. It says a lot about Jon and what we want to do here moving forward.”
Marrow said he was not surprised by what Sumrall did going into the south and finding four quality players. Sumrall is an Alabama native and has coached in Mississippi and Alabama.
“People just like him,” Marrow said.
Marrow thinks Sumrall could “give me a run” for recruiting honors because “he’s just the kind of man that I like being around.”
