[LeeCoUKFan]

Cats, Rebels have offered 2014 linebacker

Justin Rowland
Special to CatsIllustrated.com

Demarquis Gates is a name you will probably be hearing a lot about in the months ahead. Kentucky and Ole Miss recently offered the Hampton (Ga.) Lovejoy linebacker.

Both schools have made a positive early impression but the Rebels seem to have a slight edge. Gates did note that could change as he learns more about the schools and develops more of a relationship with the coaches recruiting him.

The Cats and Rebs offered the 6-foot-2, 217-pound prospect in mid-January so Gates is just starting to learn more about each school.

[Image: http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPECT...16_200.JPG]

"I started following Ole Miss when they offered me and I've been following Kentucky a little bit, too," Gates said. "I'm interested in both of them ... Ole Miss a little bit more but both of them."

Ole Miss found out about Gates because they were recruiting in south Georgia and a high school coach mentioned that he was a prospect worth looking into.

Derrick Ansley has been recruiting Gates for Kentucky.

"He used to work at Tennessee and he had recruited me from Tennessee last year," Gates said. "When he went up there and brought (Gates' information) with him. He talked to their coach (Mark Stoops) and they decided they wanted to offer me."

Gates has never visited either school but hopes to change that soon.

"I'm not sure how it's going to work out yet but I'm supposed to be going to junior days at both of them," he said. "I'll have to call the coaches again to get the details on all that."

If Kentucky is to remain high on Gates' list they will likely have their work cut out for them. Georgia, Florida State, Auburn, Alabama, LSU, North Carolina and NC State are among the other schools showing early interest.

Gates topped 100 tackles as a junior linebacker at Lovejoy this past fall.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1470044