Kentucky Fills Needed Spots with JUCO QB Johnson and DT Pringle

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

The 2016 Kentucky recruiting class is near completion with 24 verbal commitments after landing Junior College talents Stephen Johnson II and Naquez Pringle on Saturday.

Johnson led College of the Desert (Palm Desert, CA) to a 6-4 record in 2015 passing for 3,210 yards with 34 touchdowns against seven interceptions. The 6’3”, 195 pounder, is considered a dual-threat after rushing for 429 yards, second on the team, with eight touchdowns, a team-high.

Kentucky landed the sophomore talent from Rancho Cucamonga (Los Osos High School) over offers from Arkansas State, Hawaii, Lamar, Morgan State, and Eastern Michigan. Johnson is a signed, sealed, and delivered recruit turning his letter of intent in on Saturday.

Pringle is the definition of a gap filler with the size to play defensive tackle in a 4-3 or the nose in a 3-4. Listed at 6’3”, and anywhere between 305 to 330 pounds, Pringle had 21 tackles, 17 solo, one tackle for a loss, and one fumble recovery in nine games played in 2015 for Itawamba Community College. The former Carver’s Bay High School (South Carolina) product picked Kentucky over offers from Appalachian State, Troy, and Southern Miss.

Kentucky already had one quarterback committed to the 2016 class, Gunnar Hoak (Dublin, OH) but looked to the Junior College ranks for immediate depth after the transfer of Patrick Towles to Boston College at the end of the 2015 season.

The Wildcats now have three defensive tackles lined up in Ja’Quize Cross (New Market, AL), Kordell Looney (Springfield, OH), and Pringle. Jaylin Bannerman (Pickerington, OH) is the lone true defensive end verbally committed to the class.

Photo credit: scout.com; Stephen Johnson II drops back to pass at a College of the Desert practice.