Is Kentucky losing momentum with a top prospect in the 2026 class?

Mark Pope has yet to land a big get on the recruiting trail, even just a 2026 commitment for that matter. By now, things were supposed to be much better than they are. Over the last few months, Kentucky seemed in good position with two of the top prospects in Tyran Stokes and Christian Collins. But now, things are not expected to end soon with Stokes' recruitment, and things have seemed quiet lately. With Collins, though, the tone of the Kentucky talk has changed over the last few weeks.

According to Rivals' Jamie Shaw, the talks of Kentucky being the favorite have cooled as of late as a decision is still looming after buzz on that stalled after the early signing period, which was when a decision was supposed to come. "Sources I am speaking with are still watching Kentucky, but they are not as confident in their conversations as they were before the early signing period."

That should be concerning if you're a Kentucky fan, because this recruitment was seen as all but done right before the early signing period last month, but it's not done until you reach an agreement, and that's where we are with the hold up right now. As reported first by KSR's Jacob Polacheck last week, it's ultimately NIL discussions that have been delaying what was supposed to be a quick announcement. Now it raises the question of if NIL is going to cause Kentucky to miss a top 10 prospect after still not landing a single one? It seems like both Kentucky and Collins were in agreement on wanting each other, but keep in mind Kentucky's NIL runs through JMI, so it's up to them to agree to what a recruit is looking for in a deal.

Collins and his family have strong ties to Kentucky assistant Jason Hart, who is likely a big reason why Kentucky has been in the lead position it's been in. His mother talked with Kentucky Wildcats on SI back in the summer about that. "I've had a previous acquaintance or connection with Jason Hart, he's from LA. I've seen Jason since Christian was in ninth grade," his mother told Kentucky Wildcats on SI back in July. Is the connection worth considering when making a decision? "I take it into consideration, but whatever the best is for Christian, that's what I'm looking for."

Now, NIL disparities have creeped into the fold, and it looks like the two sides just haven't been able to agree on a deal. Is it a coincidence that the Kentucky talk has cooled? It doesn't look like it, but Kentucky's NIL partner, JMI, is going to have to match it soon, or it will be too late.