The Kentucky Wildcats had a big decision to make at the end of the season as the Mark Stoops era was clearly growing stale. Rather than continuing to roll with Stoops, Kentucky decided to eat the massive buyout, and bring in a new head coach. Instead of picking a re-tread head coach, Kentucky landed the top offensive coordinator on the market in Oregon's Will Stein.
From the moment Will Stein arrived at Kentucky, the Wildcats have looked like a wildly different program. Kentucky was in the mix and landed several top transfers signaling an exciting run ahead for the program. While the Transfer Portal was exciting, Will Stein has provided fireworks on the recruiting trail sending an even bigger statement.
Will Stein wins big landing elite QB recruit Jake Nawrot
On Sunday, the Kentucky Wildcats got their biggest win of the Will Stein era as they landed elite quarterback recruit Jake Nawrot. Kentucky had to beat out a loaded field for the talented signal caller including Iowa where Jake Nawrot's father played.
BREAKING: Elite 2027 QB Jake Nawrot has Committed to Kentucky, he tells me for @Rivals⁰⁰The 6’4 205 QB from Arlington Heights, IL is ranked as the No. 2 QB in the 2027 Rivals300
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 12, 2026
“Blessed for all of this! Ready to get to work! #BBN #SEC”⁰⁰https://t.co/ewuKYn8Mie pic.twitter.com/b6k7ZNctyq
According to Rivals' Recruiting Rankings, Jake Nawrot is the 32nd ranked player in the Country, the 2nd ranked quarterback in the class, and the 2nd ranked player out of Illinois. If Nawrot remains a top 32 recruit by the end of the cycle, he'd finish as a 5-star recruit making the win even bigger for Kentucky.
The decision to hire Will Stein was bold, but Kentucky looks like one of the biggest winners of the coaching carousel. Stein's recruiting prowess is showing through early, and his offensive scheme should instantly help the results on the field.
The commitment from Nawrot lifts Kentucky's class to 25th in the Country and 9th in the SEC which is a major improvement compared to last year's marks of 53rd and 16th respectively.