Male's Wakefield commits to U of L

Speedy three-star Male High School wide receiver Keion Wakefield committed to the hometown University of Louisville on Thursday afternoon, becoming the fourth local player to pick the Cardinals in the 2016 class and continuing a strong two weeks of recruiting overall for U of L.

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Wakefield, arguably the best offensive player in the city and a contender for Kentucky Mr. Football honors this season, chose the Cards over the University of Kentucky, Indiana University and Purdue primarily.

Wakefield's announcement had a fake-out element. While sitting at a table with his family outside Male's stadium, Wakefield reached for a UK cap and nearly put it on, but put it down and placed a U of L cap on his head instead as his teammates and friends cheered. His family, including his older brother Keron, who was a walk-on player at UK last season and still attends that school, then put on identical Louisville hats.

"I chose U of L because it was a perfect fit," he said. "They're at the top of the ACC, and it just felt right staying home."

U of L emerged as a favorite for Wakefield after he received a scholarship offer a month ago following a good performance at camp. Cincinnati, Illinois and Western Kentucky were other offers that he considered. Oregon and Tennessee also showed interest.

"It was a waiting game with (the Cards)," Wakefield said. "But Louisville (offering) was the icing on the cake."

Wakefield had 40 catches for 634 yards and 11 touchdowns last season for Male, which was ranked No. 1 in the state until losing in the Class 6-A playoffs to Trinity. He helped the Bulldogs win a national seven-on-seven championship last week in Alabama, and Male shapes up as a state title contender again.

He said winning Mr. Football and a state championship are goals his senior year and would make for "a great end to my high school career."

Wakefield projects as a slot receiver and kick returner in college, and he said U of L offensive coordinator Garrick McGee has compared him to former Arkansas star Joe Adams, who had a famous tackle-breaking punt return for a touchdown in 2011.

"He's just a kid that has extraordinary ball skills," Male coach Chris Wolfe said. "I've coached long enough to know the difference in a guy who's (only) fast as a receiver and a guy who's great as a receiver. ... He can really adjust on the ball, and the route-running that he does is extraordinary.

"There's no doubt he's got natural punt-return skills. Some receivers it doesn't work that way, but the way he can get in and out of cuts and set people up plays into that return ability. And his great hands do, too, which is the most important part of a punt return."

Wolfe said Wakefield is also one of Male's hardest workers, and the coach noticed at the seven-on-seven event that he's developed into a strong leader. The coach has never timed Wakefield in the 40-yard dash, but he said he's never been caught from behind and has never had trouble separating from defensive backs.

Wolfe envisions Wakefield playing at about 185 or 190 pounds once he gets to college.

"He'll be play in the slot, be a physical guy who can work over safeties, certainly can beat linebackers," he said.

Wakefield is rated the No. 84 wide receiver nationally and No. 4 overall senior in Kentucky by Rivals.com, behind UK commitments Landon Young, Drake Jackson and Kash Daniel.

UK was one of Wakefield's first offers as an underclassman, and he said he considered the Wildcats closely, though he began to feel in the past couple months that they appear full at the wide receiver position already.

Wakefield and his father, Ron, who is a Male assistant, said Keion's U of L decision would have been a cause of great celebration for his Keion's late mother, LaKeta, a huge Cards fan who died nearly four years ago after a battle with lupus.

"She was (a person who was) very quiet and to herself, but I know right now she would be dancing and smiling and cheering," Ron Wakefield said.

Keion Wakefield joins Trinity receiver/cornerback Rodjay Burns, Manual defensive lineman Derek Dorsey and DeSales punter Austin Johnson as Louisvillians on the Cards' 2016 commitment list – twice as many locals as U of L signed in the previous four classes combined.

U of L didn't sign any local players in 2015 or 2012; it got Trinity's Reggie Bonnafon in 2014 and Trinity's James Quick in 2013.

Wolfe said "it's critically important" for U of L to land the top players from Louisville every year.

"In the city of Louisville, (U of L) has such a big impact on these kids," Wolfe said. "Out in the state we all know (UK) has a bigger impact. You'll have different years – and this year out in the state there are a lot of really talented kids – but I think if you look over a 10-year span, Louisville is your key prospect area in the state of Kentucky. So it's important for (the Cards) to pull the vast majority of those kids for them to be successful."

Wakefield is U of L's 16th commitment, including the fourth since last Thursday, following four-star Georgia quarterback Jawon Pass, three-star South Carolina linebacker T.J. Brunson and three-star Georgia defensive end Mike Boykin.

Louisville's class is now tied for No. 23 in the national team rankings on Rivals.com with three commitments rated four-stars, 11 three-stars and two two-stars.

Wide receiver clearly is a strength of the class. Wakefield is the fifth commitment at that position, though some of those players could end up playing defensive back in college. Among the receiver pledges, Seth Dawkins, Desmond Fitzpatrick and Chris Taylor-Yamanoha are all rated four stars by at least one major recruiting site. Wakefield and Burns are well-regarded three star players.