Darrion Henry-Young, right, on his visit to UK with recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow and running back JuTahn McClain, who is also from Cincinnati. (Twitter Photo)
The free agent market — oops, I meant transfer portal — is being very good to Kentucky again. Coach Mark Stoops and recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow added quarterback Will Levis, receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, linebacker Jacquez Jones, and offensive tackle Dare Rosenthal last year.
They had already added Virginia Tech receiver Tayvion Robinson and Auburn offensive lineman Tashawn Manning plus Jones and Jordan Wright both announced Sunday they would use the COVID year and come back to Kentucky for another season. Running back Chris Rodriguez did the same thing Monday.
Now the Cats have added 6-4, 265-pound defensive lineman of Darrion Henry-Young of Ohio State. He played in just four games in two seasons at Ohio State but is a former top-100 national recruit out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati. He could compete for the starting spot vacated by Josh Paschal but no matter what will add needed depth.
Kentucky tried to recruit him out of high school and Marrow never burns bridges with players who pick other schools — and that paid off again here. He was a three-year starter at Princeton and led the Greater Miami Conference in sacks as a junior with 8.5 and had six as a senior.
He knows several current Cats, including running back JuTahn McClain, from Cincinnati. Other Cincinnati area players at UK are tight end Brenden Bates, cornerback Carrington Valentine, offensive lineman Paul Rodriguez and offensive lineman Quentin Wilson.
Kentucky returns part-time starters Octavious Oxendine, who missed the second half of the season with a knee injury, and Justin Rogers, a former five-star recruit who started four games while filling in for injured senior Marquan McCall. Redshirt freshman Tre’vonn Rybka started the Citrus Bowl in place of Paschal.
Freshman Kahlil Saunders, sophomore Josaih Hayes, and redshirt freshman Sam Anaele all could be in the defensive line rotation that is now bolstered by the addition of Henry-Young, who will have four years of eligibility at Kentucky.
One Response
Darion-Henry-Young has the size and length needed to play DE at UK, this is good news. Not sure why he would not have seen more playing time at OS. They must be loaded with talent.