It was major news when Kiyaunta Goodwin committed to Kentucky in April. It’s an even bigger deal now that the five-star offensive tackle from Charlestown, Ind., has made it official after a drama-filled day that included a non-announcement this morning in Texas before he returned home to pick the Wildcats.

Despite being committed to Mark Stoops and Wildcats for the past eight months, Goodwin made several visits during the fall, with stops to Alabama, Michigan, Florida State and Michigan State, among others. On Tuesday, he narrowed his final list to Kentucky and Michigan State. On Wednesday night, he finally signed with Kentucky.

Goodwin, who is ranked No. 25 overall, headlines what will end up being the Wildcats’ best class in the modern era of recruiting. He will join three other top-200 national prospects in a class that has a chance to finish among the top four in the SEC.

(Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

How important is this signing for Kentucky

Ari Wasserman, national recruiting writer: Absolutely crucial. He made Mark Stoops and his staff sweat a bit, but Goodwin stayed loyal to Kentucky in the end. This is a program that has been very good on the offensive line in recent years, and Goodwin gives them a five-star anchor to build around. It’s hard to overstate just how impressive of a get this is for Kentucky.

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