Kentucky Football Adds 4-Star DB Tristin Hughes to 2027 Recruiting Class
The Kentucky football program is on a recruiting heater. The latest addition required Will Stein‘s recruiting operation to flex its muscles.
Four-star safety Tristin Hughes has committed to Kentucky over Virginia Tech. Louisville, Michigan, Ohio State, and Clemson were also in the mix. The Wildcats put in some serious legwork to get this one across the finish line.
An Ohio native who resides just outside of Cleveland in Rocky River, he initially committed to play for Fran Brown at Syracuse. When he backed off that pledge, Kentucky was one of the many regional schools who got in the mix.
For a time, it looked like the Wildcats were the clear and obvious choice. That’s when James Franklin entered the picture. Virginia Tech received RPM picks ahead of his April 2 announcement. Instead of committing on that Thursday, Hughes attended a Kentucky spring practice. That’s a flex.
Kentucky’s late move paid off. The Wildcats add another four-star talent to the 2027 recruiting class. This player is ranked as the 12th-best in Ohio and No. 250 overall player in the Rivals300.
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“I love their new coaching staff,” Hughes told Justin Rowland earlier this spring. “That’s definitely a plus they have. I think they’re definitely going to change the Kentucky program around for the better.”
Hughes opened the eyes of talent evaluators by picking off multiple passes at The Opening regional in Indianapolis. A two-way player for Rocky River, he filled up the box score during his junior campaign. Hughes tallied 65 tackles (3 TFL), three interceptions, three PBUs, and 2 forced fumbles. On the other side of the line of scrimmage, he caught 75 passes for 1,332 yards (17.8 yards per catch) and 17 touchdowns, while also carrying the ball 63 times for 391 yards and 10 TD. It’s clear that Kentucky just locked up an elite athlete from the Buckeye State.
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Kentucky 2027 Recruiting Class
Hughes is Kentucky’s tenth commitment in the 2027 class, which now ranks 18th in the Rivals Industry Rankings.
| Player | Position | High School | Ranking |
| Jake Nawrot | QB (6-3, 200) | Prospect Heights (Ill.) John Hersey | 4-star (No. 60 overall) |
| Elijah Brown | iDL (6-1, 290) | Prattville (Ala.) High | 4-star (No. 263 overall) |
| Tristan Hughes | S (5-11, 190) | Rocky River(Rocky River, OH) | 4-star (No. 373 overall) |
| Larron Westmoreland | S (6-3, 185) | Jeffersontown (Ky.) High | High 3-star (No. 424 overall) |
| Tank Proctor | TE (6-5, 220) | Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage | High 3-star (No. 515 overall) |
| Ty Ashley | LB (6-2, 200) | Owensboro (Ky.) High | 3-star (No. 517 overall) |
| Brady Hull | iOL (6-1, 285) | Somerset (Ky.) Pulaski County | 3-star (No. 530 overall) |
| Bryian Duncan Jr. | ATH (5-9, 160) | Cairo (Ga.) High | 3-star (No. 761 overall) |
| Miguel Wilson | CB (5-10, 170) | Mobile (Ala.) Vigor | 3-star (No. 902 overall) |
| Matthias Burrell | iOL (6-4, 320) | Gahanna (Ohio) Lincoln | 3-star (No. 844 overall) |
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