Kentucky is battling Clemson on the recruiting trail

Kentucky has gone head-to-head on the recruiting trail in the 2027 cycle with both Louisville and Virginia Tech multiple times. Some linebacker battles are occurring with Miami right now. Those are not the only ACC schools that the Cats are battling for prospects with.

Clemson hosted its first big official visit event of the summer this weekend. A pair of Kentucky targets didn’t leave Dabo Swinney‘s football building without committing to the Tigers.

BREAKING: Four-Star EDGE Santana Harvey has Committed to Clemson, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’4 230 EDGE from Lakeland, FL chose the Tigers over Notre Dame, Colorado, and Georgia Tech

“If not me than who #HUMBLEBEAST”⁰⁰https://t.co/D3RlvwUs5X pic.twitter.com/8dKqNKRVbV

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 30, 2026

🚨BREAKING🚨 WR Julian Cromartie has committed to Clemson, @samspiegs reports🐅

Read: https://t.co/NAsRlECRJu pic.twitter.com/fEGFkGYWuJ

— Rivals (@Rivals) May 29, 2026

Lakeland (Fla.) High EDGE Santana Harvey and The Woodlands (Texas) College Park wide receiver Julian Cromartie have joined Clemson’s 2027 class. Each prospect was scheduled to visit Kentucky in June. They were not the only Kentucky targets on campus.

Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central linebacker Sean Fox also made the trip to Clemson this weekend. The Tigers have made a big push for this four-star prospects and just offered his older brother. No commitment has arrived yet but that is one to watch. UK has made a big push for Fox and is scheduled to get him on campus for an official visit on June 19. This comes after two unofficial visits to UK during the spring semester and an in-home visit with outside linebackers coach Tony Washington Jr. earlier in the cycle. Clemson and Kentucky are battling for the same recruits.

Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day School EDGE Griff Galloway had real interest from Clemson before committing to Kentucky. The Tigers just landed two targets that the Cats were pursuing. These two programs likely have some more battles brewing in the near future.

Kentucky’s 2027 high school recruiting class

Player	Position	High School	Ranking
Jake Nawrot	QB (6-4, 190)	Arlington Heights (Ill.) Hersey	4-star (No. 60 overall)
Marquis Bryant	S (5-11, 185)	Rolesville (N.C.) High	4-star (No. 284 overall)
Elijah Brown	iDL (6-1, 290)	Prattville (Ala.) High	4-star (No. 296 overall)
Iveon Lewis	WR (6-2, 180)	Richmond (Va.) Huguenot	4-star (No. 341 overall)
Tristin Hughes	S (6-1, 190)	Rocky River (Ohio) High	4-star (No. 382 overall)
Ian Walker	T (6-5, 305)	Pennington (N.J.) The Pennington School	High 3-star (No. 413 overall)
Larron Westmoreland	S (6-5, 180)	Jeffersontown (Ky.) High	High 3-star (No. 439 overall)
Miles Brown	CB (6-0, 180)	Martin (Tenn.) Westview	High 3-star (No. 460 overall)
Antwoine Higgins Jr.	EDGE (6-2, 230)	Cincinnati (Ohio) Princeton	High 3-star (No. 474 overall)
Tank Proctor	TE (6-5, 220)	Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage	High 3-star (No. 575 overall)
Bryian Duncan Jr.	ATH (5-9, 160)	Cairo (Ga.) High	High 3-star (No. 579 overall)
Ty Ashley	LB (6-2, 200)	Owensboro (Ky.) High	High 3-star (No. 580 overall)
Kelsey Gerald	RB (5-11, 191)	Lantana (Fla.) Santaluces Community	High 3-star (No. 590 overall)
Brady Hull	iOL (6-1, 285)	Somerset (Ky.) Pulaski County	3-star (No. 622 overall)
Griff Galloway	EDGE (6-3, 240)	Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day School	3-star (No. 625 overall)
Matthias Burrell	iOL (6-4, 320)	Gahanna (Ohio) Lincoln	3-star (No. 701 overall)
Miguel Wilson	CB (5-10, 170)	Mobile (Ala.) Vigor	3-star (No. 707 overall)
Conrad Hart	TE (6-5, 235)	Lexington (Ky.) Christian Academy	3-star (No. 738 overall)
Mason Ball	RB (6-0, 190)	Jacksonville (Ark.) High	3-star (No. 835 overall)