SIGNING DAY EVE: Cornerback Cedrick Dort
Cats Illustrated isn't waiting until National Signing Day to get you ready for all the action. We're rolling out Signing Day content all week.
In our new Signing Day Preview series we'll profile every single one of Kentucky's 2017 early enrollees as well as those who won't be signing until Wednesday.
STATUS: Already enrolled
RESUME: Dort had a pick six early in the 2016 season that set an impressive tone. Even well into the season Dort hadn't allowed many receptions at all. Early in the year he took pride in the fact that he hadn't missed a tackle.
RECRUITING HISTORY: Dort really moved in Kentucky's direction after he attended Sunday Night Lights, just as did several other future Wildcat commitments. He was one of the top camp performers there and caught the attention of the UK coaching staff.
SCOUTING REPORT: Dort took a great deal of pride in the fact that Mark Stoops and the UK coaching staff sees him as a pure cover corner rather than a guy who could move around in the secondary. He's a field corner with speed, instincts and ball skills who can play the deep balls and was a lockdown player, rarely giving up anything at the high school level. Dort needs to continue to get bigger to help with his press coverage, to match up with bigger receivers and to get off blocks, but the early enrollment will help. One of Dort's best assets is his vision. His eyes stay locked on the quarterback's and that helps his anticipation in a major way.
CATS ILLUSTRATED PROJECTION: Dort has fantastic long-term potential, better than his ranking, but he needs time in the program to work on his body and hit the weights. He would already be able to match up with smaller, faster receivers on Kentucky's schedule, but he has the luxury of redshirting and building his body the right way.
| Size | Speed | Coverage | Ball Skills | Instincts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6.5/10 |
8/10 |
9/10 |
9/10 |
9/10 |
