College football recruiting has become increasingly complex, particularly with the introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. Top players are now heavily recruited years before graduation, receiving scholarship offers early in their high school careers. While Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats have secured a strong 2025 recruiting class, they’re also actively focused on building for the future.
Kentucky is already looking ahead in recruiting, offering scholarships to prospects in the 2026 class and beyond. Among them is Justin Weeks, a highly-touted 2027 edge rusher who received an offer from Coach Stoops on Thursday. 247Sports ranks Weeks as the fourth-best edge rusher and eighth overall prospect in the 2027 class. He’s a sought-after player with offers from several prominent programs, including Florida, Tennessee, and USC, in addition to Kentucky.
The odds of Kentucky landing a top ten player aren’t good, but it’s certainly good to see them reaching out to the elite recruits early on. If the Cats are ever going to be a top program, they need top players. They have to start somewhere, and Weeks looks like he’d be a good one