A 2026 in-state four-star guard is planning a visit to Kentucky

Will Kentucky basketball land this four-star guard?

Mar 1, 2022; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; The Kentucky Wildcat mascot claps during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports / Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Over the last few recruiting cycles, a ton of talent has come out of the Bluegrass State. Reed Sheppard in 2023, Travis Perry and Trent Noah in the 2024 cycle, Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno in the 2025 class, and now Jayden Johnson in the 2026 class.

The key for Coach Pope is to make sure to keep these in-state players in Kentucky to play their college basketball. He is currently fighting that battle for Johnson and Moreno and will be fighting that battle with Johnson as well.

Johnson is ranked as the 49th best player in the 2026 class according to 247Sports composite rankings. The 6'5 shooting guard recently took an unofficial visit to Lexington, but he is planning some official visits in the near future. On top of Kentucky, he plans to visit Louisville, USC, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, and Virginia Tech.

He is a player that will shoot up the rankings over the next few months and could see himself in the thirties when this recruiting class is said and done. Coach Pope likes the way Johnson plays on tape, and he would be a good fit in Lexington.

It will likely be a battle for Johnson between Louisville and Kentucky, but he feels like a player who wants to stay in the state for his college hoops.

This is a name for Kentucky fans to remember as Coach Pope starts to find the talent in the 2026 class that he wants to recruit. Once Johnson gets official visits set, this recruitment will clear up.