[LeeCoUKFan]

Four-star receiver Bone picks Wildcats

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Kentucky scored big on Tuesday with a commitment from four-star receiver Blake Bone, the number eight prospect from the talent-rich state of South Carolina.

"It came down to Kentucky being the place where I can catch the most balls. It was the offense for me," Bone told Cats Illustrated. "I can have success in that offense."

The Woodruff (S.C.) receiver had picked up offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Louisville, Ole Miss, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and UCF over the course of the recruiting process to date, but he had narrowed his choices to Auburn, UK, Ole Miss and South Carolina.

Things had been trending in Kentucky's direction for a while now.

Bone said he "liked everything I saw" on a summer visit to UK, and having an aunt and uncle in Lexington also was a bonus.

"I fell in love with the coaches from Day One," Bone said. "Coach (Mark) Stoops, Coach (Tommy) Mainord, even the defensive backs coach (Derrick) Ansley. They're the kind of coaches that want you to get better."

His decision is big for Kentucky on a number of levels. Wide receiver was one of the biggest remaining needs for UK. Bone becomes the fourth wide-out to commit to the Wildcats in this cycle and the second four-star after Thaddeus Snodgrass.

Kentucky has also needed an influx of height and length at the position and at 6-foot-5 and 183-pounds Bone fills a big need.

Bone is the eighth four-star commitment for the Wildcats in the class of 2014 and the 11th since Stoops took over the program.

He's ranked the No. 47 receiver in the nation and the No. 8 prospect in South Carolina. He's the fifth offensive skill position player ranked as four-stars in UK's class, not including quarterback Drew Barker.

"I know Drew Barker and I know a few of the other receivers they've got coming in, like Thaddeus Snodgrass out of Ohio and T.V. (Williams) out of Texas," Bone said. "I know a safety from Cincinnati, Mike Edwards. I think the direction of the program is great. They're surprising and really moving up. UK isn't a football school, it's more of a basketball school, but they're doing big things."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1541370