Simon-Kenton’s Aba Selm was named the Northern Kentucky John Schlarman Lineman of the Year for his play during the 2023 season.
They are not the two highest ranked players in Kentucky’s 2024 football recruiting class but recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow hopes they can eventually be two of the most important signees in this year’s class.
In-state offensive linemen Hayes Johnson of Taylor County and Aba Selm of Simon Kenton both verbally committed to Kentucky early and signed with the Wildcats Wednesday. They are two of the 11 high school signees who plan to enroll at UK in January.
The 6-4, 300-pound Johnson is a three-star prospect who chose Kentucky over Michigan State, Baylor, Tennessee, Louisville and others. Selm is a 6-4, 285-pound prospect who was ranked as the No. 18 interior offensive lineman in the nation by On3. He picked Kentucky over Florida, Louisville, Missouri, Penn State and others.
Kentucky associate coach Vince Marrow says that Selm and Johnson remind him of the “guys that coach Schlarman used to recruit” at Kentucky.
Coach Schlarman obviously is the late John Schlarman who built the Big Blue Wall during his time as UK’s offensive line coach under Mark Stoops. A big part of that foundation was put together by in-state recruits Drake Jackson and Landon Young.
“Hayes is very country, tough, likes to hunt. He fits our whole culture. I think (offensive line coach Zach) Yenser is bringing that back,” Marrow said. “Abe was recruited very highly. Alabama was trying to get him to come down.
“He is an athletic guy who can play center, guard, tackle. He wears a size 18 shoe. He’s baby faced but he is still growing.
“I think they fit the mold of when Schlarman was here and that’s where we are trying to go.”
Selm actually won the Northern Kentucky John Schlarman Lineman of the Year for his play during the 2023 season.
Kentucky also signed 6-5, 330-pound Marc Nave out of Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic. He’s another three-star prospect who is ranked as the No. 17 interior offensive lineman in the nation by Rivals.
He verbally committed to Ohio State in March but recommitted on Sept. 30. He also had offers from Georgia, Auburn and others. He took an official visit to UK in mid-October and then committed in November.
Nave is from the same high school as former UK defensive lineman Phil Hoskins and Marrow said it is a high profile program. Central Catholic went 16-0 last season and won the state title for a second straight year.
Marrow credited Yenser for identifying him early as UK was his first major scholarship offer.
“Sometimes kids in Ohio feel pressure to go to Ohio State,” Marrow said. “He decommitted because he wanted to talk and visit here. He is a very physical guy. He’s a smart kid with good parents. And it’s good to get a kid out of Toledo like him.”
The fourth offensive lineman the Cats added Wednesday was Florida transfer Jalen Farmer.
“Gives us a big physical presence. Jalen is a guy that I was harassing him while he was here, told him we were meant to be together,” Stoops said. “We recruited him pretty hard out of high school and ended up coming back to us. Jalen is a big physical presence we’re looking for.”
The Georgia native also took a visit to Tennessee after putting his name in the transfer portal. He has three years of eligibility remaining. He played just four games in two years at Florida but had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State and others coming out of high school.
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December 21, 2023 at 10:23PM
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Marrow Believes In-State Linemen are Type of Players John Schlarman Recruited - Your Sports Edge
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