4-star cornerback commits to UK after big win

The University of Kentucky's thrilling victory over South Carolina helped the Wildcats pick up a late-night recruiting commitment from junior defensive back Jordan Griffin, who's rated the No. 77 player nationally by ESPN.com.

Griffin, a 6-foot, 170-pound player from Jonesboro High School in Georgia, was one of UK's many recruiting visitors at Commonwealth Stadium, and news of his pledge spread after midnight Saturday.

His No. 77 position on ESPN.com is the highest ranking on that site of any UK commitment of the Mark Stoops era. He's rated the No. 7 cornerback nationally in 2016 by ESPN and the No. 10 player overall in talent-rich Georgia.

UK was the first team to offer Griffin a scholarship; offers have followed from Clemson, Mississippi, North Carolina State, Cincinnati and others.

"No other school or coaching staff treated me the way Kentucky did," Griffin said. "With them being my first offer, it meant a lot. I felt that it was time."

Griffin wrote in a message that the atmosphere at UK's game, in which fans rushed the field after the 45-38 victory, was "INCREDIBLE! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!"

He's the No. 25 cornerback nationally, according to 247Sports.com and the No. 27 junior overall in Georgia. He's rated three stars and the No. 33 cornerback nationally by Rivals.com.

Griffin joins Kentuckians Landon Young (offensive lineman, Lafayette) and Zy'Aire Hughes (receiver, McCracken County) in UK's 2016 class. Both those players were at Saturday's game as well, along with top in-state 2015 target Damien Harris.