Kentucky 4-Star WR Pick Snubs Notre Dame and Louisville for In-State Wildcats

Will Stein and the Kentucky Wildcats just landed a big one close to home. Tyler Fryman, a four-star wide receiver from Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, announced his commitment to the Wildcats on Friday. The news broke via On3 insider Hayes Fawcett.

Fryman picked Kentucky over Louisville, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati. That’s a pretty solid list of programs he turned down, especially the Irish and the in-state rival Cardinals.

He’s rated a 90 on 247Sports, which puts him at No. 4 among all players in Kentucky, No. 31 among wide receivers nationally, and No. 203 overall in the 2027 class. His composite score of 0.9229 is even more impressive — third in the state, 30th at his position, and 210th overall.

But numbers only tell part of the story. Fryman’s junior season at Northern Kentucky was straight-up dominant. He hauled in 45 catches for 1,023 yards and 18 touchdowns. That’s over 22 yards per catch, which is absurd. And he wasn’t just a one-trick pony — he added 17 carries for 277 yards and three more scores on the ground.

That kind of versatility is exactly what Kentucky’s offense needs. The Wildcats have been building something under Stein, and Fryman fits the mold of a guy who can line up outside, in the slot, or even take a jet sweep and make something happen.

For Notre Dame and Louisville, this one stings. Both programs recruited Fryman hard, and Louisville especially wanted to keep him in-state. But the pull of playing for the in-state SEC program was too strong.

Fryman’s commitment gives Kentucky its second four-star recruit in the 2027 class, and it’s still early in the cycle. The Wildcats are clearly trying to establish a foothold in their own backyard and build some momentum for the future.

One thing worth watching: how this affects other Kentucky targets. Recruiting is a chain reaction, and getting a guy like Fryman — who’s both talented and local — could help sway other high-end prospects who are on the fence.

For now, Kentucky fans have a reason to feel good about the future of their receiving corps.