Kentucky Football Recruiting: Branham goes on the record
More than a year ago Kalil Branham certainly couldn't have imagined where the recruiting process would lead him.
The former Michigan commitment reopened his recruitment earlier this year and is now, as of Monday, a future Kentucky Wildcat.
"The first time i came for the spring game I liked UK because as soon as I walked in they took me straight to Coach Stoops' office. So I knew they were serious," Branham told Cats Illustrated as he recounted his relationship with Kentucky and the history of his interest in the Wildcats.
But as anyone who has followed Branham on social media probably realized a long time ago, he has been thorough, thoughtful and deliberate in this process of choosing a school, so no red carpet - however impressive or flattering - was going to prompt a spur of the moment decision.
"I couldn't act on emotion," Branham said. "So I had to go pray and talk to my family. After the official (visit) I knew it was for me. I had to pray to make sure it was God's plan for me."
Whenever Branham has spoken about Kentucky in the past he has emphasized his relationship with the coaching staff.
With his decision made, Branham reflected on just what they meant to him and how they got their points across.
"When Coach Gran said, 'I want you and if I didn't I wouldn't have sent you letters,' he said it in a really calm voice and he didn't blink. I was like, 'He's serious.' He knocked my guard down. Then Coach Stoops said, 'I want you to be a part of the family.' It kinda shook me up. The biggest part is when Coach M (Vince Marrow) said he purchased an RV to tour around Kentucky when he retired. Most people say tour around the USA. So I was like, 'It must be something in Kentucky.'"
Branham played quarterback last year for his high school but has a longer history of playing receiver, the position he will line up at for the Wildcats.
When asked whether he will continue to visit schools now that he is verbally committed to Kentucky, Branham seemed to indicate that he's seen what he needed to see.
"I have been to just about all the colleges already," he said. "My brother and I stopped reporting our offers and visits about a year ago. If a writer found out about it a college had to leak it. We actually have way more offers than what's posted and by large Power Five colleges."
Kentucky now has commitments from four wide receivers and four-star quarterback Beau Allen, so the future of the Wildcats' passing game will largely be determined by how the Class of 2020 pans out.
Branham is a big part of that.
But he opts for humility and a pledge to work over making bold proclamations.
"As far as the future I don't do predictions because I dont have the knowledge the coaches have nor do I know team chemistry," Branham said. "All I can promise is I will listen to what the coaches say, learn from teammates, and I will go to class."
Branham said he and Allen have talked about rooming with one another in college.