A major in-state target for Kentucky football in the 2023 class is Corbin athlete Dakota Patterson who also has offers from Pittsburgh, Purdue, Memphis, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Eastern Kentucky. Ohio State and Tennessee are among the other schools showing interest in the 6-3, 195-pound Patterson.

Patterson, a four-star recruit, got his scholarship offer from Kentucky midway of his freshman season — the first Division I offer he received.

“He is big and runs well,” Corbin coach Tom Greer said. “He has great hands. Most schools are recruiting him as a flexed-out, tight end type of player. He’s a little bit light for that now.”

Kentucky recruiting coordinator envisions Patterson at 240 pounds in college.

“They think he can put on weight and keep his speed,” Greer said. “Ohio State and several others are looking at him as a tight end.”

Greer thinks Patterson could play several positions in college, another reason he’s such an attractive recruit. He has run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

“I believe he could play outside linebacker or bulk up and play inside linebacker,” Greer said. “Dakota can play wherever you want him to or need him to. He’s not just a wide receiver. He’ll do whatever you want him to do so he can play. He’s that competitive.

Patterson also plays basketball and runs tracks.

When he was 6 years old, he came to Rupp Arena in 2010 for ESPN GameDay wearing a No. 11 UK basketball jersey and a sign where he called himself “Lil John Wall.” He also used to pretend he was UK receiver Randall Cobb, who is still playing for the Green Bay Packers.

Patterson’s Corbin teammate, Treyveon Longmire, is already verbally committed to UK and part of the 2022 recruiting class.