Many around the Kentucky football program, including yours truly, were wondering about the state of the program, especially its recruiting efforts. After all, ace recruiter Vince Marrow left for hated rival Louisville. Throw in the fact that until recently, Mark Stoops only had one commitment for 2026, and the Big Blue Nation was concerned, to say the least. However, since Marrow left, the Cats have been on an impressive spree over the last few days. Let’s introduce you to the new Cats as Kentucky lands six for 2026.
Huge Recruiting Flurry For The Cats
Help In The Backfield
The Wildcats’ most recent pledge came on Wednesday night as running back Delvecchio “Deuce” Austin committed to Kentucky. Hailing from Trussville, Alabama, the 6′-0″, 200-pound Austin chose the Cats over Appalachian State, Memphis, South Florida, and Virginia.
247Sports ranks him as the 75th-best player in Alabama and the 106th-best running back in the nation. The running back position is one of need. Austin could step in and play immediately.
Let’s look at three more players who recently committed as Kentucky lands six for 2026.
Three For The Defense
A day before, Kentucky picked up a pledge from Pennsylvania linebacker Max Mohring. Standing 6′-3″ and 215 pounds, Mohring mainly had offers from Ivy League schools. However, Central Florida recently showed interest, and Mohring committed to Brad White and the Cats after visiting last weekend.
Before his commitment, he was unranked by the recruiting sites. However, he’s rocketed up the rankings and is listed as the 30th best player in Pennsylvania and 81st best linebacker in the nation. The Wildcat staff has a history of getting in early on players before they shoot up the rankings. Mohring certainly fits that bill.
Kentucky’s next pickup in three days is a major one. Messiah Tilson, a safety from Illinois, picked the Cats on Monday. The 6′-2″, 165-pound safety chose the Cats over some Big Ten heavy hitters. His final list included Illinois, Iowa, Rutgers, and Wisconsin.
Let’s do it! 🏠@CoachBuffano pic.twitter.com/fQmYU28Wbv
— Messiah Tilson (@mini_sago11) June 17, 2025
Tilson ranks as the 26th-best safety in the nation. Furthermore, he’s the eighth-best player in Illinois and 403rd best in the nation. He’s now the Cats’ highest-ranked player in the 2026 class following the Thursday decommitment of offensive tackle Jarvis Strickland from in-state power Paducah Tilghman. He had picked Kentucky back at the end of March.
The third player on the defensive side of the ball came when Florida safety Jordan Crutchfield chose the Cats. While 247 Sports lists him as a safety, he’s expected to play cornerback in college. Crutchfield ranks as the 64th-best player in Florida and the 40th-best safety in the nation. Standing 6′-3″ and 195 pounds, Crutchfield held offers from Florida, Florida State, Miami (Florida), and Texas A&M, among others.
Let’s look at the other future Wildcats as Kentucky lands six for 2026.
Another Block For The Wall
Much like the running back room, the Cats are always looking for help on the offensive line. Coach Eric Wolford picked up a commit when they landed Cameron Miller. Hailing from Hammond, Indiana, the 6′-0″, 310-pound Miller had offers from close to 20 schools.
Tilson was pretty well recruited by the Big Ten schools. However, he chose Kentucky over the likes of the home state Hoosiers, Minnesota, Purdue, and Texas Tech. Currently, he sits as the 19th-best player in Indiana and the 112th-best offensive tackle. Miller made All-State last season.
Pass Catching Help
Our final recruit to feature is wide receiver Prince Jean. A 6′-0″, 180-pound Jean ranks as the 89th best player in Georgia and 118th best wide receiver in the nation. Among his 27 offers, Jean chose the Cats over Georgia, Kansas State, Mississippi State, and Georgia.
Last season at Valdosta High School, he hauled in 45 passes for 622 yards and eight touchdowns. In addition, he spent some time at both quarterback and running back. Ironically, he committed to Kentucky just hours after the Marrow announcement came out.
These six recruits join Texas wide receiver Davis McCray as part of the 2026 class.
Final Thoughts
Currently, Kentucky’s seven-player class sits 68th in the country and 15th in the SEC, only ahead of Missouri. However, just a week ago, they were down in the 90’s. Losing Strickland hurts, but at least the Cats have some positive recruiting momentum. Thanks for checking out this update as Kentucky lands six for 2026 here at Last Word On College Football.
Main Image: Syndication: The Courier-Journal
