Five-star defensive lineman Kellan Hall has attracted attention from several college football programs as the 2028 recruiting race takes shape. With the Louisville prospect on the radar of top teams, his next move could shape the competition for one of the class’s top defensive talents.
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Speaking on Rivals’ show on October 14, recruiting reporter Brandon Huffman and Kentucky football recruiting expert Alan True discussed Kentucky’s position in Hall’s recruitment. True identified the Wildcats as the current leaders ahead of Hall’s upcoming Michigan visit, allowing Whittingham’s program to make its case for the highly ranked defensive lineman.
“Right now the number one player in the state of Kentucky for 2028 is Kellan Hall. He’s out of the city of Louisville,” Alan True said. “I mean, I think they are the leader. I think that’s pretty accepted across the board right now that Kentucky’s the leader and he’s gone to some other places.”
“Oklahoma had some good buzz. He visits Michigan this weekend, and he enjoys his visits, but it’s not quite to the level of Kentucky in what he’s saying about them post-visit,” True added.
Kellan Hall’s recruitment has gained further attention after Rivals ranked the 2028 defensive lineman as the No. 1 overall player in the country. The 6-foot-5, 275-pound prospect from Louisville’s Christian Academy of Louisville is also ranked No. 3 by ESPN and No. 2 by 247Sports, placing him among the top three recruits in the country across all three services. He currently holds over 30 offers from across college football.
Kentucky has gained momentum in Hall’s recruitment, with three recruiting insiders predicting he will commit to the Wildcats. Hall visited Kentucky for its games against Alabama and LSU, canceling a scheduled visit to Ohio State before returning to Lexington.
Alan True also highlighted Hall’s longstanding relationship with Kentucky’s coaching staff, while noting that the Wildcats remain the favorites ahead of his early January commitment announcement at the Under Armour All-America Game. You can get a sense of where Hall’s heart currently lies from the fact that he stormed the field when the Wildcats upset LSU over the weekend.
With Kentucky currently holding the advantage, Kyle Whittingham’s Michigan will look to make a strong impression during Hall’s upcoming visit. The Wolverines still have a chance to challenge the SEC team for Rivals’ No. 1 overall recruit in the 2028 class.
Following the Michigan visit, he’ll be in Austin on October 31, followed by visits to Notre Dame and Tennessee in November.
Beyond Hall’s recruitment, the discussion also turned to Kentucky’s wider recruiting strategy and how head coach Will Stein’s experience could help the Wildcats attract talent nationally.
Will Stein’s national recruiting reach could help Kentucky land more talent
In the same Rivals show on October 14, recruiting reporter Brandon Huffman and Kentucky football recruiting expert Alan True also discussed how head coach Will Stein’s experience in different parts of the country could help Kentucky attract talent beyond its home state.
“I think that their philosophy is Kentucky should be a national program,” Alan True said. “They can recruit nationally and with the way they play offense, they can go anywhere for skilled players, and you should want to play for them, and that’s uh proof right here with what’s happening in the Jordan Anderson recruitment.”
Kentucky’s progress in Jordan Anderson’s recruitment had been reported by Sam Spiegelman even before the LSU game. He highlighted the Wildcats’ frequent use of the passing game as another factor that could attract receivers, citing the opportunity to catch passes from capable quarterbacks.
For Michigan and Kyle Whittingham, the first threat from a Stein’s Kentucky comes for the signature of Kellan Hall.