Cincinnati Bearcats Sign Top Juco Wide Receiver in the Country

Head coach Butch Jones proved once again that there are great recruits out there even after National Signing Day has come and gone.

On Wednesday the Bearcats inked junior college wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins. For a program still relatively new to the national spotlight, signing Thompkins is a big deal in Clifton.

Thompkins was not highly recruited out of Miami's Northwestern High School and only had a scholarship offer from Morgan St. After two years at junior college he originally commited to Tennessee. Thompkins reopened his recruitment after the departure of head coach Lane Kiffin to USC.

Thompkins is widely regarded as the top junior college wide receiver in the country and posted some big numbers over the past two seasons at El Camino Community College. He caught 126 passes for 2,052 yards and 15 touchdowns over the past two years.

At 6'3" and 190 pounds, Thompkins has enough size go up top. Combine that with a 4.4 forty time and he has the ultimate wide receiver combination of size and speed.

Thompkins had scholarship offers from Alabama, LSU, UCLA, Oregon, California and Florida among other BCS schools. He took official visits to Cincinnati, Alabama, Tennessee, and UCLA before deciding to become a Bearcat.

Signing Thompkins once again proved it is possible to get talent late. Butch Jones was able to bring in New Orleans native Munchie LeGaux with a push before signing day and did it again with Thompkins.

With the addition of Thompkins to an already loaded wide receiver group, there will be battles for playing time. Returning starters Armon Binns and D.J. Woods will have competition from multiple players.

USC transfer Vidal Hazelton, along with former No. 1 receiver Marcus Barnett, will be battling for the third receiver spot. Newcomer Thompkins and heralded freshman Dyjuan Lewis will also be in the mix.

There is an abundance of talent at receiver for Cincinnati. There will be seven talented players battling for three starting spots. Getting them all playing time could be a problem.

That is problem Butch Jones and Cincinnati are happy to have.