Kentucky lands huge in-state commitment from 4-star DL Malachi Brown
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Corbin (Ky.) four-star defensive lineman Malachi Brown has committed to Kentucky, according to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett.
He chose the Wildcats while in town for his official visit this weekend. Brown was also considering the likes of Louisville, Ohio State, Nebraska and Miami.
Brown is the No. 273 overall prospect and No. 29 DL in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 4 recruit in Kentucky.
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Head coach Will Stein and the new-look Cats continue to excel on the recruiting trail. Brown becomes commit No. 19 for UK, building on a class that ranks inside the top 25 of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.
Brown becomes the second four-star DL to choose Kentucky this cycle, flanking Prattville (Ala.) four-star Elijah Brown. Malachi Brown was already trending toward Lexington before his OV and this weekend helped nail things down for the SEC program.
More on Kentucky’s 2027 class
While Stein is yet to coach his first game as the lead man in Lexington, he’s already got Big Blue Nation revved up for the 2026 season thanks to some newfound enthusiasm and swinging a big stick on the recruiting trail.
The Cats are on pace to ink a landmark haul, signifying a new era in the Bluegrass. Of the 19 commits in the fold, six are four-stars. The headliner is Prospect Heights (Ill.) John Hersey four-star quarterback Jake Nawrot, the No. 2 QB in the Rivals300 rankings.
Nawrot was one of eight April commitments for the Cats, who then followed that up with six May pledges. Brown is the first June commitment for UK — and he certainly won’t be the last.
Four of the six blue-chippers in the mix are on the defensive side of the ball: Malachi Brown, Rolesville (N.C.) four-star safety Marquis Bryant, Elijah Brown and Rocky River (Ohio) four-star safety Tristin Hughes. Bryant is the nation’s No. 27 safety.
Nawrot and Richmond (Va.) Hugenot four-star wide receiver Iveon Lewis highlight the offensive side for Stein and Co. thus far. Lewis, the No. 49 WR and No. 7 player in Virginia, pledged on May 9.
“The second visit was what did it for me,” Lewis told Rivals’ Chad Simmons about his decision. “I really got to spend time with them, watch the coaches coach and see who was going to be coaching me.
“Being up there a couple of times, they checked all the boxes. I knew it when I left, and after talking to my family about it, we all said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
The updated Kentucky recruiting class can be seen here. It now ranks 21st nationally, which is good for No. 8 in the SEC.
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