Kentucky Lands 2 Commits, Jumps to No. 5 in 2014 Recruiting Rankings

Kentucky is on a recruiting hot streak, and no, this is not about Wildcats basketball. Believe it or not, it's the football program that is making waves in the recruiting world..

With commitments on Monday from Mike Edwards, a 3-star safety from Cincinnati, Ohio,  and Darius West, a 4-star safety from Lima, Ohio, Kentucky's 14-player 2014 class is ranked No. 5 in the 247Sports composite team rankings.

JC Shurburtt of 247Sports tweeted out the big news for Kentucky:

These are early rankings, and they will change often, but this is just a small testament to the job first-year head coach Mark Stoops and his staff are doing on the recruiting trail.

Four of Kentucky's 14 commitments are 4-star recruits. In addition to West, they include weak-side defensive end Denzel Ware, pro-style quarterback Drew Barker and receiver Thaddeus Snodgrass.

Ware, in particular, is a marquee commitment for Kentucky. He's the No. 5 weak-side defensive end in the country, according to the 247Sports composite.

Barker is another big-time commitment. He's the No. 7 pro-style quarterback, according to the 247Sports composite.

Kentucky isn't just recruiting for quantity, it's recruiting for quality as well, and that's the reason the Wildcats hold the No. 5 spot in 247Sports' recruiting rankings.

Keep in mind that the rankings in February matter the most, so Stoops and his staff still have plenty of work to do. Keeping these highly ranked commitments will be a must, and winning on the field is the best way to maintain recruiting momentum.

With programs such as Notre Dame, LSU, Alabama, Florida State, Florida and Ohio State ranked below Kentucky, it may be unrealistic to predict a top-five finish for Kentucky.

But finishing the cycle with a great class that will help propel Kentucky football forward with momentum? Now that's completely realistic.