Kentucky again wanted to address wide receiver in volume in yet another high school recruiting cycle. It now looks like the program is done at the position before the Fourth of July holiday. The Cats got out the spatula before everyone enjoys a long weekend.
Long-time Auburn commit Denairius Gray flipped to Kentucky on Tuesday. The Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna wideout is now the highest-ranked commit in Kentucky’s 2026 class.
Kentucky has added a fourth wide receiver to the class. What will Gray bring to Lexington? The four-star recruit is a precise mover who creates easy separation and plucks the football out of the air.
A sudden mover with a sizable catch radius
Denairius Gray is listed at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds. Adding weight to his frame will be critical as he transitions to the next level but this will never be the biggest receiver on an SEC field. Quite often, opposing corners could cause some physical obstacles to overcome but Gray has ways to combat any length problems.
This is a fluid and sudden mover who can get in and out of breaks.
Gray does a very good job at stopping, cutting, and overall change of direction. This is a wide receiver that wins consistently on releases and is a precision mover in open space. Easy space was created off his stance at the snap and on in-breakers. Projecting him to become a precision route-runner at the next level doesn’t seem like some huge jump.
The Kentucky commit can also finish at the catchpoint.
Gray does a good job of finding the ball in the air and is a safe bet to a complete a catch if the ball hits his hands. The four-star recruit shows the ability to pluck the ball out of the air along with soft hands to complete tough catches over the middle. There is strong hand-eye coordinator shown as a ball tracker and this creates a prospect who doesn’t need a lot of space to be open.
Kentucky has added a strong route-runner with terrific ball skills.
Potential inside-outside versatility
Will Denairius Gray be able to line up and beat SEC cornerbacks in tight man coverage? That’s a fair question to ask. The releases and route-running potential give him a chance to succeed at X and Z but his best position might just be in the slot where his ball skills and route-running chops could create easy completions when lined up against smaller cornerbacks, linebackers, or safeties.
There was not much play extension on tape in run-after-catch situations or big plays as a vertical field stretcher, but Gray was very dependable in the pre-catch process from getting off the line of scrimmage to getting to his spot at the top of the route. Once there, you typically saw separation and the ability to complete the play even if the pass was not extremely accurate.
Kentucky has added a wide receiver prospect with separation-creation potential and strong catch skills. Gray should bring the offense a dependable and versatile receiver to use in a variety of capacities. This is a prospect who wins early and can be a dependable target for a quarterback.
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