Cats competing with Irish, Spartans for a top 2018 defensive end

By now it's no surprise to see a recruit list Kentucky alongside the likes of Notre Dame and Michigan State with the top recruits in Ohio.

That's exactly who the Cats are competing against in the race for Malik Vann's signature.

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Kentucky's coaches are still working to fill several remaining spots in the Class of 2017 and that's their top priority. Vann is a Class of 2018 recruit. Nonetheless, he feels like a priority with the way the Wildcat staff has been recruiting him.

Vann has visited Kentucky three times now. By the springtime the Fairfield (Ohio) prospect had already visited twice. His third trip was for a 7-on-7 passing tournament in Lexington over the summer.

"I'm talking to Coach (Vince) Marrow," Vann told Cats Illustrated this week. "I talk to Coach Clink (Steven Clinkscale) a little bit and also the defensive coordinator, Coach (D.J.) Eliot. I like all of them. On the defensive side of the ball I like all of the coaches up there. They all know what they're talking about and what they're doing.

"I wish they had a camp just like the Notre Dame Irish Invasion that I could have gone to, just so I could have been coached up by just their coaching staff for a day to see how they would have molded me. But it was a good trip. I like those guys," Vann said.

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Speaking of Notre Dame, that's the school that leads for Vann at the moment. The Irish surged into the lead in Vann's recruitment over the summer and his trip to South Bend went well. That visit took place before his trip to Kentucky this summer.

"I liked that, too," Vann said. "I got to have a full visit up there (at Notre Dame), which was something I didn't get to do my first trip. My parents liked it, too. It was a really good experience. I got to spend the day with Jay Hayes, their defensive end."

Vann acknowledged that Notre Dame and Michigan State are his two favorites but said Kentucky's near the top of his list as well.

"They're still very high on my list," he said of UK. "I do have Notre Dame and Michigan State up there, but they're still up there very high."

He hasn't visited Michigan State recently but said a trip to East Lansing will happen. It's more of a priority now that his friend and older teammate Josiah Scott recently committed to the Spartans. The two will likely make a trip to Michigan State together sometime.

In terms of his personal development Vann said he recently hit a bit of a growth spurt and said he's now "6'2 or 6'3" and 244 pounds.

"I improved my pass rush this offseason, dramatically," he said. "Getting a full offseason as a defensive end as opposed to linebacker has helped me a lot. And also getting stronger, so I can be a better help in the run game and more explosive. It should be a good season."