Ty Bryant first member of 2023 Kentucky recruiting class

Frederick Douglass junior Ty Bryant with his family after making his commitment to Kentucky Thursday

His father didn’t try to influence his college choice but Frederick Douglass junior athlete Ty Bryant decided playing his college football at Kentucky where his father did was the right choice for him. The 6-0, 175-pound Bryant, who is taking a COVID do-over year, turned 17 on Wednesday and opens his season tonight.

“Now just have to make sure we take care of business tomorrow night,” Ty Bryant said after his commitment Thursday when he became the first commit in UK’s 2023 recruiting class.

His father, Cisco, was a receiver at Kentucky from 1983-85 under coach Jerry Claiborne. Two of his former Douglass teammates, receiver Dekel Crowdus and offensive lineman Jager Burton, are freshmen at UK this year. A current teammate, receiver Dane Key, is a major 2022 UK recruiting target.

“It definitely feels great (to be committed),” Bryant said. “I definitely don’t regret one second (of the recruiting process) but it’s nice to get the monkey off my back.”

Bryant and his father took a visit to Cincinnati after the recruiting dead period ended and both “loved” it. That’s why he narrowed his final two choices to UK and Cincinnati over offers he also had from West Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland, Kanas, Dartmouth, Marshall, Toledo, Air Force, Western Kentucky, Austin Peay, UT-Martin and Eastern Kentucky.

“Dad just wanted me to do what was best for me,” Ty Bryant, who broke the news to his father after Thursday morning’s practice, said. “He didn’t try to influence me but he was happy with my choice.”

Bryant attended a UK camp in June and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds. He has 110 career tackles and has averaged about six tackles per game over the last three seasons.

In a recent preseason poll of the state’s high school coaches, he was ranked as the state’s 13th best player. All those ahead of him were basically offensive players while his forte is defense.

“My dad played receiver but he loves defensive back. Before he coached me he coached at Dunbar and Bryan Station as defensive back coach. That’s his mentality and is mine, too,” Ty Bryant said.