Hayes Johnson, No. 1 2024 recruit in Kentucky, has 2 SEC teams in top 5 ahead of commitment
Hayes Johnson is looking to make his college commitment early in the recruiting cycle. The top prospect in the state of Kentucky has named 5 finalists heading into an announcement next week.
Johnson shared Friday on social media that he is deciding between Kentucky, Tennessee, Baylor, Louisville and Michigan State for his Thursday commitment.
I’ll be announcing my commitment at 10:30 AM on Thursday 1/26 at Taylor County High school @Aspirationsgym @TCCardinalsFB @TomVH @SWiltfong247 @JoshHelmholdt pic.twitter.com/Dh9QIEu3dv
— Hayes Johnson (@hjohnson_71) January 20, 2023
A Taylor County standout from Campbellsville, Kentucky, Johnson is listed at 6-5, 295 pounds. On the 247Sports composite rankings, Johnson is rated 3-stars, the No. 1 recruit in the state of Kentucky, No. 45 offensive tackle and No. 550 prospect overall nationally in the 2024 recruiting class.
Recruiting experts are predicting Johnson stays home and plays for the Wildcats. We’ll find out next week if Johnson commits to Mark Stoops’ program or pledges elsewhere.
Johnson’s junior-season highlights can be viewed below, via Hudl:
This is just his 2024 commitment list, what will be far more crucial is his 2026 transfer list.
To put in perspective what Stoops has done for recruiting at Kentucky, this is one of the highest rated in state kid and he’s a high three star. And that doesn’t bother me at all- I’ve heard really good things about this guy and would love if he stays home to play for the Cats. But I don’t think other programs with an embarrassment of riches know how good they have it. Not a knock, just providing perspective…
yup states like ky and TN just dont have the populations to produce the high quality numbers that some others do.
Fuzzy, what we do have in KY and TN is a whole lot of God’s country. So there’s that!
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That’s why “overlooked” 3* players from places like Texas or Florida can be very impactful and outplay their ranking. There are only 30 or so 5 stars given out each year so in states like Texas where there’s so much talent a 3* can be as good as good as a 4 or 5 there just weren’t enough stars to pass around. Pinkel built his Mizzou rosters on 2 and 3*’s from Texas and the occasional 4* from Florida or Missouri. You still have to have an eye for talent though and discern between a 3* that should be a 4 or 5 and a legit 3*. Pinkel and Co were very good at that.