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By: LARRY VAUGHT
Special player: Former Kentucky quarterback Freddie Maggard thinks UK got a future star with the late addition of Florida cornerback Derrick Baity to its signing class.
"I think he will be a future star at Kentucky," Maggard said. "He is very versatile with good size and speed. I really like this young man. He is just a football player who can play anywhere and help a team. This young man is going to be special. He is the highest rated cornerback I have evaluated in the last few years."
Baity is a three-star prospect and one of the top 200 players in Florida according to ESPN.com. The 6-3, 180-pound defensive back from Tampa had 66 tackles his senior season with three tackles for loss, four interceptions, and three fumbles recovered. He also played wide receiver and had 33 receptions for 730 yards and six touchdowns, including a season-best 77-yard reception.
He picked UK over offers from Indiana, Iowa State, Louisville, Minnesota, South Florida, Syracuse, UCF and Wisconsin.
“Because of Derrick’s size and range, he is an extremely versatile defensive back,” Stoops said.
Maggard also liked the addition of 6-3, 200-pound Will Jackson of St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C.
“The reason he does not have more (recruiting) stars is he missed most of his junior year after playing receiver as a sophomore,” Maggard said. “Played just one year of defense. That’s the rating issue there. Quality, quality pickup.
“Tall defensive back who can play multiple positions. He has excellent cover skills and his break on the football is quick. He is raw. Once he gets on campus, the sky is the limit because he can play so many positions. Untapped potential. He will develop wherever they put him once he gets here and gets coached up.”
Cornerback coach Derrick Ansley said Jackson’s “versatility and range” stick out.
“Any time you get a corner who played receiver it means he can play the ball in the air,” Ansley said. “Again, he is a 6-2 kid. He can cover the slot, which is critical for a cornerback to do. He is a big kid that could play corner, safety or a lot of different things.”
He picked UK over Western Michigan, Connecticut, Nevada, North Carolina State, Old Dominion and Toledo.
Receiving help: Kentucky’s offense got a boost on national signing day with the addition of receivers Tavin Richardson of South Carolina and Jabari Greenwood of Washington, D.C.
The 6-3, 218-pound Richardson played at Byrnes High School, a national power, and was ranked as the 12th best player in South Carolina by ESPN.com.
“His coach was (UK freshman receiver) Blake Bone’s high school coach last year,” Maggard said. “His level of offers (Central Florida, Arkansas, Florida, Louisville, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi State and Ole Miss) tells you the level of talent he has. I really liked his ability to excel when the quarterback gets out of the pocket.
“He can catch the ball up the middle to loosen up the linebackers. He can open the middle by forcing the linebackers to back pedal. This is a national level recruit that can play multiple positions on offense. He is ready to play now and can play that inside slot receiver.”
Receivers coach Tommy Mainord started recruiting Richardson at the same time he was recruiting Bone.
“He is a big kid. I have been recruiting him a long time. We have liked him since day one. Going to start him off at inside receiver,” Mainord said. “He is 6-3, 215 now. He has nothing but upside. He is going to be a big kid who can attack and block yet go catch the ball over the middle. He can make plays when they are not there. He is a guy who can come in here and has a shot to help us now. He is another great basketball player with great ball skills.”
He had 43 receptions his senior season for 457 yards and five touchdowns and had 21 kick returns for 457 yards his senior season and 10 returns his junior season for 836 yards. He caught 63 passes for 836 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior.
The 6-3, 195-pound Greenwood is another player that Mainord really liked.
“I am excited to see what kind of weight we can put on him. There is no top end to what he can be,” Mainord said. “We are going to play him outside. I love his length. His stride is long. He is a big target with big hands and he catches the ball naturally.
“In this league, you need guys that can catch the ball when they are covered and he can. He has chance to make people miss because he has some home run speed that we are looking for. He can run. He committed to us a long time ago and never blinked. Great basketball player, Division I player. He will represent the BBN very well. He is the type kid you want here.”
Scout.com ranked him the top wide receiver in the Washington, D.C. area and the No. 7 overall player in the area. He had 50 receptions his senior year for 754 yards and nine touchdowns.He picked Kentucky over Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Iowa, Maryland, Pittsburgh and others.
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