The offensive linemen committed to Kentucky form the strong core of the class that everyone's excited about. But don't sleep on the defensive backs.

If you look at Kentucky's commitment list there's a lot to be excited about.

More size at receiver. Depth and talent at running back. Athleticism at the skill positions. More success in Ohio than ever before. And, of course, that elite class of offensive linemen.

One of the emerging stories that hasn't gotten much play is the strength of Kentucky's class in the secondary. That's tough to see because the three committed players are all rated three-star prospects.

But take a look at how those players have performed during their senior year. Tobias Gilliam, Jordan Griffin and Davonte Robinson have all excelled for their respective high school teams. They've excelled in different areas of the game. They all bring something a little different, and there's reason to believe than any or all of the three could eventually be major contributors in Lexington.

Take Gilliam, for starters. Cats Illustrated can confirm that he will either be playing the nickel back or boundary corner position. He plays safety now and is proven in run support. He's tenacious and isn't afraid to get in on the action near the line of scrimmage and in the backfield. He has a vicious streak on the field and has proven that he can cover elite backs and tight ends in the passing game -- remember, we profiled his performance against four-star Ohio State tight end commitment Jake Hausmann when he did very well and Wayne defeated Moeller on the road.

PREMIUM: Read Cats Illustrated's breakdown of Gilliam's performance against Moeller and a Buckeye commit.

Gilliam has very good closing speed, has demonstrated outstanding instincts on the field, and has the makings of a leader on the field and in the locker room. After all, he's as close with Kentucky's other commitments as just about anyone else.

Griffin is a different kind of player but he's had similar success this year. In fact, his senior year has been as strong as that of any of Kentucky's commitments. It's been well-documented, too, with Rivals.com Southeast analyst Woody Wommack recently praising his performance at Jonesboro's Senior Night.

It seems that Griffin is becoming a more polished player, but just as important, he's playing with more confidence than ever. That's not to say he wasn't confident before. But all indications and reports are the Griffin has a swagger and a 'step up' gear this year that he's tapping into more than ever before. And he's doing it on offense, defense and special teams.

One quality that Griffin is demonstrating week after week is his ability to make big plays in big situations. He's rising to the occasion in crunch time with timely interceptions and touchdown catches. He seems to do it every week and when Jonesboro most needs it.

Griffin has very long arms and his frame is filling out. He's likely to be a field corner for Kentucky and the senior year that he's having makes it more important than ever that the Wildcats fend off any competition. He visited Lexington over the weekend.

Then there's Robinson, maybe the most interesting player in Kentucky's class. He's interesting because so little has been written about him. For a player of Robinson's talent the exposure has been remarkably limited.

PREMIUM: Low profile, high ceiling define Davonte Robinson.

There aren't many 6-foot-2, 185-pound cornerbacks with 4.4-second speed and the kind of acceleration that Robinson has. He passes any look test for a defensive back and the good news is he seems rock solid with the Wildcats.

Robinson has as much long-term potential as just about any UK commitment and a lot of people are probably going to be surprised at the way Kentucky's coaches are likely to talk about him after Signing Day.

One reason the class looks good is the balance the three players provide. Generally it's good to have players at different positions even within the secondary. Sometimes that happens more than others. Derrick Ansley and the Kentucky staff likes players that can play multiple positions and length is a primary attribute they look for in that.

Gilliam is likely a nickel or boundary. Griffin is probably a field corner. Robinson could play corner or safety.

For a secondary that has some good young players as a foundation already, that gives the staff some flexibility to develop these players how they would like to.