Editor’s note: This is more coverage of Kentucky’s 2010 recruiting class, the first in the Joker Phillips’ era.

By LARRY VAUGHT

There has not been a kicker come to the University of Kentucky with the hype that LaGrange, Ga., kicker Joe Mansour has.

Some could argue he is the best player in Joker Phillips’ recruiting class beause of his strong leg, versatility and athleticism. He will be UK’s placekicker next year and could also handle kickoffs if others don’t improve. And he’s a very, very good punter.

Phillips says Mansour has the “strongest leg I have seen” and he obviously has seen a lot of kickers.

“One thing he can do is flip the field and field position. He can flip the field on you in a hurry with his leg,” Phillips said. “You don’t have to get as deep to be able to kick a field goal. He kicked a 59-yarder (in high school) that could have been 69 (yards).

“He also runs a 4.4 (second 40-yard dash). So be alert. You might see fakes. He is as fast as our wide receivers are.”

Bio: Kicker/Punter, 6-2, 181, Fr-HS, LaGrange, Ga. (LaGrange) – First-team All-America kicker among medium-sized high schools as selected by MaxPreps.com … Also named first team on the Georgia “All-Decade” Team by MaxPreps … Long-range kicker had six field goals over 50 yards during his career … Made field goals of 59, 56 and 52 yards during his senior season at LaGrange High School … The 59-yarder is the third-longest in Georgia high school history … Had touchbacks on 84 percent of his kickoffs … Punted for a 42.7-yard average … First-team all-state by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Georgia Sports Writers Association for Class AAA … The nation’s No. 2 punter prospect by Scout.com and the No. 15 kicker as evaluated by Rivals.com … Averaged 41.4 yards per punt as a junior, with 83 percent of his kickoffs in the end zone … Four-year starter also hit field goals of 55 yards as a junior, 53 yards as a sophomore and 50 yards as a freshman … LaGrange, a perennial power, advanced to the state playoffs each season, with a best finish of 11-3 in the state semifinals his junior year … Continues the tradition of Grangers at UK, joining current Wildcats Randall Burden, Qua Huzzie, Tristian Johnson and Pat Simmons … Coached by Steve Pardue … Played for the winning South team in the Georgia North-South All-Star Game, nailing a pair of field goals and all three extra points in a 27-20 victory … Very good athlete in addition to his kicking skills … Plays for the basketball and baseball teams … “Joe is a tremendous talent,” Pardue said. “He’s a great athlete and could have played another position for us but he was just too valuable in the kicking game. His accuracy consistently improved over the years. He came in a good punter and left a great one.”

3 Responses to “Mansour is a special kicker”