Kentucky football gains new faces on National Signing Day

20 new Wildcats are coming out of high school and into college in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW)- The 20 new members of Kentucky football’s 2025 recruiting class are all signed on to be Wildcats, some as soon as next semester.

20 signees from the Commonwealth and 10 other states will begin their college careers in Lexington. According to 24/7 Sports, this class is ranked 28th in the nation.

In-State Signees

Four of the signees, Martels Carter Jr., Montavin Quisenberry, Javeon Campbell and Cedric Works Jr., are from Kentucky.

Carter Jr. and Quisenberry, who both will enroll early, have gained high praise from the UK coaches.

“(Martels) is a guy I believe can play and can play early. I like his instincts and demeanor. I like his athleticism. He is a guy that I have on my mind that could come in and play,” said Head Coach Mark Stoops. “It’s going to be a fast process.”

“We always have watched (Montavin). He’s a player that’s not afraid to come over here in camp and compete. So I just think his versatility, toughness, overall athletic
ability (is great). I just want him on our roster,” said Stoops.

Below is a breakdown of all the signees from National Signing Day 2024.

The 2025 Class

Jermiel Atkins OL 6-8 305 Fr.-HS Trotwood, Ohio (Madison)
*Bryan Auguste OL 6-4 295 Fr.-HS Coconut Creek, Fla. (Monarch)
*Preston Bowman WR 5-11 201 Fr.-HS Pickerington, Ohio (Pickerington North)
Javeon Campbell DL 6-5 270 Fr.-HS Frankfort, Ky. (Western Hills)
*Martels Carter Jr. DB 6-0 195 Fr.-HS Chattanooga, Tenn. (Paducah Tilghman)
Jayden Clark OL 6-4 300 Fr.-HS Clayton, Ohio (Northmont)
*Kalen Edwards DL 6-3 320 Fr.-HS Dyersburg, Tenn. (Dyersburg)
*Demarcus Gardner DB 5-11 175 Fr.-HS Cedartown, Ga. (Cedartown)
Andrew Purcell DB 5-10 185 Fr.-HS Enterprise, Ala. (Enterprise)
*Montavin Quisenberry WR 5-9 173 Fr.-HS Danville, Ky. (Boyle County)
*Stone Saunders QB 6-1 210 Fr.-HS Harrisburg, Pa. (Bishop McDevitt)
Quintin Simmons Jr. WR 6-1 170 Fr.-HS Cincinnati, Ohio (Withrow)
Mikkel Skinner TE 6-4 225 Fr.-HS Greer, S.C. (Riverside)
Nicholas Smith DL 6-5 290 Fr.-HS Loganville, Ga. (Walnut Grove)
*Darrin Strey OL 6-7 310 Fr.-HS Paw Paw, Mich. (Paw Paw)
*Brennen Ward QB 6-3 205 Fr.-HS Columbus, Ohio (Gahanna Lincoln)
*Dyllon Williams DB 6-2 177 Fr.-HS Demopolis, Ala. (Demopolis)
Cedric “CJ” Works Jr. DL 6-5 235 Fr.-HS Dayton, Ohio (Frederick Douglass)
Cameron Miller WR 5-11 175 Fr.-HS Camden, N.J. (Winslow Township)
Grant Grayton DB 6-3 185 Fr.-HS Laurel, Md. (Good Counsel)

*Early Enrollees

Signees by State

Alabama-  Andrew Purcell (Enterprise), Dyllon Williams (Demopolis)

Florida- Bryan Auguste (Coconut Creek)

Georgia- Demarcus Gardner (Cedartown), Nicholas Smith (Loganville)

Kentucky- Javeon Campbell (Frankfort), Martels Carter Jr. (Paducah), Montavin Quisenberry (Danville), Cedric Works Jr. (Lexington)

Maryland- Grant Grayton (Laurel)

Michigan- Darrin Strey (Paw Paw)

New Jersey- Cameron Miller (Berlin)

Ohio- Jermiel Atkins (Trotwood), Preston Bowman (Pickerington), Jayden Clark (Clayton), Brennen Ward (Columbus), Quinton Simmons Jr. (Withrow)

Pennsylvania- Stone Saunders (Harrisburg)

South Carolina- Mikkel Skinner (Greer)

Tennessee- Kalen Edwards (Dyersburg)

Signees by Position

Quarterbacks- Stone Saunders, Brennen Ward

Tight Ends- Mikkel Skinner

Offensive Linemen- Jermiel Atkins, Bryan Auguste, Jayden Clar, Darrin Strey

Wide Receivers- Preston Bowman, Montavin Quisenberry, Quintin Simmons Jr., Cameron Miller

Defensive Linemen- Javeon Campbell, Kalen Edwards.Nicholas Smith, Cedric Works Jr.

Defensive Backs- Martels Carter Jr., Demarcus Gardner, Andrew Purcell, Grant Grayton, Dyllon Williams