INTERESTING NEWS:The Kentucky wildcats football has announced today for signing of new skillful players for the…
Kentucky head football coach Mark Stoops has announced the signing of prep star Jaden Smith out of West Charlotte High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, to a National Letter of Intent.
Smith, a 6-foot-3, 201-pound athlete, is set to join the Wildcats this summer after a stellar senior season that saw him stack the stat sheets with 91 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 14 quarterback hurries, 13 pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, one interception and two defensive touchdowns. He also charted three blocked punts and two blocked field goals on special teams.
Jaden is very athletic, with the ability to play at multiple levels on defense,” Stoops said. “He’s an impact player and we are excited for the opportunity to add him to this dynamic class.
Considered a consensus 4-star prospect by all the major recruiting sites … Ranked as the No. 3 prospect in North Carolina and No. 92 nationally … 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 11 athlete in the high school class of 2024 … Four-time All-Conference selection … Named the 2023 Queen City 3A/4A Defensive Player of the Year at linebacker by The Charlotte Observer … Earned First Team All-State by HighSchoolOT as a senior … Coached by Sam Greiner at West Charlotte High School … Helped his team finish 9-4 overall and advance to the third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 3A West playoffs in 2023 … Chose Kentucky over Michigan.
One of only two Wildcats to appear in all 25 games this season, Sheppard is averaging 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.6 steals per game while shooting 52.6% from the field, 51.4% from 3 and 80.8% from the free throw line. He’s posted four 20-point scoring games and leads the SEC in both steals per game and 3-point field goal percentage while ranking fifth in assists per game and eighth in made 3s.
Sheppard is one of only seven players in school history with 50 threes, 50 steals, and 100 assists in a season.
Wagner is averaging 11.0 points, 3.5 assists, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals while starting 20 of the 21 games in which he’s appeared while battling back from a high ankle sprain suffered in December.
ESPN is projecting Ugonna Onyenso, who is averaging 5.9 points on 57.7% shooting, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks in 24.3 minutes over his last seven games, at No. 38 to the Memphis Grizzlies. Onyenso leads the SEC in blocks per game and ranks third in total blocks despite missing the first nine games of the season while recovering from offseason foot surgery.
Once projected as a top-5 pick, Justin Edwards is slated at No. 51 to the Indiana Pacers. On the season, Edwards is averaging 8.1 points and 3.5 rebounds.
Since 2010, no school has produced more No. 1 overall picks (3), top-10 picks (15), lottery picks (23), first round picks (35) and total NBA Draft picks (47) than Kentucky. Since the NBA went to a two-round draft in 1989, the Wildcats now have the most players drafted overall with 63, 46 of which have come in the first round. UK has also had at least one player drafted in 16 consecutive drafts, the longest active streak of any school, and a first round pick in 14 straight drafts, the longest streak in the common era. The Cats have produced multiple draft picks in 14 consecutive drafts.
