The Ohio all-purpose back chose the Wildcats over Florida, Michigan and USC
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky’s 2020 recruiting class welcomes another impressive recruit with the signing of four-star all-purpose back Michael Drennen II, head coach Mark Stoops announced today. The highly regarded Ohio prospect received over 40 scholarship offers and ultimately chose the Wildcats over Florida, Michigan and Southern California.
“We are so excited to add Michael to our already strong 2020 recruiting class,” head coach Mark Stoops said. “We’ve known him since he was an eighth-grader and he’s become an extremely versatile and dynamic player with big-time play-making ability. He can help us in so many ways and he’s a great addition to our Wildcat family.”
Michael Drennen II, Athlete, 5-11, 196, Fr.-HS, Dublin, Ohio (Coffman) – Consensus four-star prospect … Considered the No. 6 all-purpose back in the nation by 247Sports … No. 3 overall recruit in Ohio by Rivals and 247Sports … Four-year starter for head coach Mark Crabtree … Helped lead the Rocks to the state playoffs all four years of his prep career, including two straight regional title games … Was limited as a senior due to injury … Earned a spot on the All-America Future 50 game roster … Earned second-team All-Ohio honors as a junior in 2018 after rushing for 801 yards on 162 carries, making 30 receptions for 464 yards, and scoring 16 touchdowns in helping the Shamrocks (11-2) to a regional final … Earned the 2019 Buckeye Blue Chip Award, given by the Touchdown Club of Columbus … Excels in the classroom with a 3.7 grade point average … Had over 40 scholarship offers but ultimately chose Kentucky over Southern California, Alabama, Arizona State Auburn, LSU, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Stanford and Tennessee … Nickname is “Donut.”
The signing further bolsters a class rated in the Top 25 nationally by Rivals and includes several of the highest-rated players to sign with UK since the recruiting services began evaluating and ranking players. The Cats now have 11 signees who have been rated as four- or five-star players by Rivals. Prospective student-athletes have until April 1, 2020 to sign national letters of intent.
Here is a list of Kentucky’s 2020 recruiting class.
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown (Previous College/High School)
Reuben “R.J.” Adams OL 6-3 325 Fr.-HS Woodbridge, Va. (Woodbridge Senior)
*Beau Allen QB 6-2 200 Fr.-HS Lexington, Ky. (Lexington Catholic)
*Sam Anaele OLB 6-4 250 Fr.-HS Deerfield Beach, Fla. (McDougle Technical Institute)
*Kalil Branham WR 6-1 210 Fr.-HS Columbus, Ohio (Northland)
*Deondre Buford OL 6-5 285 Fr.-HS Detroit, Mich. (Martin Luther King)
Izayah Cummings WR 6-3 215 Fr.-HS Louisville, Ky. (Male)
Michael Drennen II ATH 5-11 196 Fr.-HS Dublin, Ohio (Coffman)
Jeremy Flax OL 6-6 320 So.-JC Detroit, Mich. (Robichaud/Independence CC)
*Joey Gatewood QB 6-5 230 So.-TR Jacksonville, Fla. (Bartram Trail/Auburn)
Josaih Hayes DL 6-2 315 Fr.-HS Horn Lake, Miss. (Horn Lake)
Rickey Hyatt Jr. DB 6-0 190 Fr.-HS Westerville, Ohio (Central)
*D’Eryk Jackson LB 6-1 250 Fr.-HS Dublin, Ga. (West Laurens)
Josh Jones OL 6-6 300 Fr.-HS Phenix City, Ala. (Central-Phenix City)
*JuTahn McClain RB 5-10 180 Fr.-HS Fairfield, Ohio (Fairfield)
*Octavious Oxendine DL 6-3 296 Fr.-HS Radcliff, Ky. (North Hardin)
*Andru Phillips DB 6-0 180 Fr.-HS Mauldin, S.C. (Mauldin)
Justin Rogers DL 6-3 315 Fr.-HS Oak Park, Mich. (Oak Park)
Tre’Vonn Rybka DL 6-4 300 Fr.-HS Dickson, Tenn. (Dickson County)
Earnest Sanders IV WR 6-1 205 Fr.-HS Flint, Mich. (Beecher)
Vito Tisdale DB 6-1 201 Fr.-HS Bowling Green, Ky. (Bowling Green)
Carrington Valentine DB 6-0 185 Fr.-HS Cincinnati, Ohio (Moeller)
*Joel Williams DB 6-1 190 Fr.-HS Baton Rouge, La. (Madison Prep Academy)
*John Young OL 6-7 290 Fr.-HS Louisville, Ky. (Christian Academy)
*Early Enrollees
Class is eligibility for the 2020 season
