By LARRY VAUGHT

Kentucky’s quest to add depth to future defensive lines could get a boost if Columbus, Ohio, defensive end Derrick Bryant decides to play for the Wildcats.
The 6-4, 230-pound Bryant, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds, had 85 tackles, including 12 quarterback sacks, and broke up seven passes for Brookhaven High School.
He’s had a variety of scholarship offers including Michigan, his favorite team growing up. Others who have offered include Oregon, UCLA, Michigan State, Kansas, Illinois, North Carolina and Virginia.
Then there is Kentucky, a team that Bryant’s father, Lorenzo, says has impressed his son.
“Without question Kentucky is one of the final three or four schools he has on his list,” Lorenzo Bryant said. “I don’t look for any newcomers on that list because that would not be fair to other schools and Derrick also wants to get ready for his season.”
Lorenzo Bryant says associate coach Joker Phillips and recruiting coordinator Chuck Smith have “been very good” with his son during the recruiting process.
“They write him constantly. Things they can do, they do,” Lorenzo Bryant said.
While there have been reports that Kentucky, Oregon and UCLA are his final three schools, Bryant’s father says he can’t say.
“It’s still hard to tell and hard for me to speak his mind because it might change. But I can say for sure that Kentucky is in that group,” Lorenzo Bryant said. “I really believe he will make a decision before our first game so he’ll have where he’s going to school out of the way.
“But he will be sure about his decision. He won’t commit and then de-commit like some players do.”
Lorenzo Bryant says his son is a little different from some highly recruited high school players.
“Derrick is the type of young man that is really dedicated to proving his worth as a player,” Lorenzo Bryant said. “You rarely get a kid like that. He wants to prove he’s worthy of all this attention. But he also wants to be able to concentrate on his high school season and academic endeavors. They are both very important to him.”
Lorenzo Bryant says recruiting has been hectic at times with two or three coaches from up to 16 schools contacting him or his son.
“That’s why Derrick decided to take a step back and let me handle the calls,” Lorenzo Bryant said. “He lets the calls go through me and I get the messages to him. We don’t want to tell anyone anything that is not true. But his season is less than a month away and he wants to make this decision. However, he wants to make sure it is the right decision and that’s why I don’t exactly know when he will be ready to make that final call.”