[LeeCoUKFan]

WR Malone talks Kentucky, Barker bond

T.J. Walker
CatsIllustrated.com Staff Writer

CHICAGO - Josh Malone is highly coveted.

The 6-foot-3, 187-pound receiver from Gallatin, Tenn., has more than 40 offers and he's ranked the third-best wide receiver in the country. His performance in the Rivals Camp Series in Atlanta earned him to a trip to this week's Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge, where he spoke to Cats Illustrated about his interest in the Wildcats.

And first and foremost, Malone said it's strange that he's even considering UK based on its football history. But he does realize that changes are being made and the Cats are making moves.

"It's weird because Kentucky doesn't have much tradition, there's really nothing to go off of," Malone said. "Really the biggest-named players they have are Stevie Johnson and Randall Cobb, and that's really the big wide receiver names they have coming out of there.

"It's kind of weird because there's not much tradition and not much (historic) support of the program unlike now."

Malone, who attends Station Camp, doesn't have a top five and few of the 104 players at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge few did more interviews. He hopes to narrow his list down to five before the season starts, take his five official visits to those schools and make his decision by the end of the season.

He'll learn everything there is about Kentucky when he visits sometime this summer. Malone isn't sure when it will be but he says he'll "definitely" check out UK's campus.

And during his recruiting process, he has one future Cat in his ear. Malone and Drew Barker have been camping together since their freshman year of high school and Barker hasn't been shy about his desire to play with Malone.

Barker's main selling point is UK's family atmosphere, which is important to Malone.

"He tells me it's a great place, it will feel like home and it's a great place to be," Malone said. "Me and Drew go way back. We went to a few camps together going back to our freshman year, so we have a little bit of chemistry."

Malone says that chemistry could carry over to the next level.

"Yeah I could see that," he said.

Currently Malone talks to someone from UK's staff about once a week, and is intrigued about the idea of playing in the Southeastern Conference. He realizes UK is one of the few schools that offer instant playing time.

"Yeah I thought about (playing time); it's a good feeling," Malone said. "That's why I'm going up there to check them out because of that availability and opportunity to play early."

But he realizes that even if he plays instantly, the winning part won't come easy. But knows with Barker and the current coaching staff, UK can be a contender.

"I know they have a good strong coaching base, but right now it's just the upstart," Malone said. "Starting from the bottom. Yeah, I think they can be a contender. It'll take some time but they can be a contender."

The school Malone picks will have to take academics seriously and feel like home, and the school that wins the Malone sweepstakes will be getting a do-everything receiver.

"I'm a very balanced wide receiver," Malone said. "Fast for my size and good pair of hands and good route running and a good burst level."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1513443