Rockford (Ill.) Guilford safety Messiah Tilson (6’2″, 165 pounds) kicked off his official visit to Kentucky on Tuesday — a somewhat unexpected development, given that the Wildcats weren’t among his top six schools just a few weeks ago. Tilson has a packed official visit schedule, having already visited Illinois (April 11), Iowa (April 18), and Wisconsin (April 23), with upcoming stops at Rutgers (June 6), Minnesota (June 13), and Kansas (June 20).
Kentucky extended an offer back in December, courtesy of defensive backs coach Frank Buffano, who also visited Tilson’s high school during the winter.
“[We talked about] what they’re trying to build with the program, the direction they’re heading in, and how they want to return to being a top program,” Tilson told CatsPause.com in February. “Coach Buffano has been there for a while and will still be around if I choose Kentucky. It’s a stable program, and he emphasized how he could help develop me to reach the next level.”
Ranked as the No. 25 safety nationally and rated 90 out of 100 by 247Sports, Tilson is among the most sought-after prospects in his position.
Last year, Kentucky welcomed 80% of its official visitors in June, including 16 eventual commitments. The Wildcats currently have two verbal pledges in the 2026 class: offensive tackle Jarvis Strickland from Paducah (Ky.) Tilghman and wide receiver Davis McCray from San Antonio (Tex.) Cornerstone Christian.
Leave a Reply