To steal a line from Freddie Maggard, “Play ’em all!” You probably know him as an exceptional KSR Football Podcast host who spent a couple of years starting under center at Commonwealth Stadium. What you probably didn’t know is that Freddie nearly skipped college to play Major League Baseball. Scouts filled the Cumberland stands when he threw a no-hitter and hit three home runs. Matt Ponatoski is the modern day Maggard, but better (no offense, Freddie).

We’ve spent plenty of time dissecting what Ponatoski can bring to the Kentucky football team, but what exactly could he do for Nick Mingione’s baseball program?

Playing two sports at the Power Conference level is a challenge rarely accepted. Austin Simmons spent one year on the diamond at Ole Miss before focusing all of his attention on learning the quarterback position for Lane Kiffin. The merits of this undertaking will be discussed thoroughly in the coming months and years. We can save that for another day.

Professional baseball scouts have eyed Ponatoski for years. As you might suspect, the quarterback is also a pretty good pitcher who can throw it up to 97 mph. He can also swing the bat. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Ponatoski hit .462 as a junior with seven doubles, four home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .556 on-base percentage. 

Following his junior season, Ponatoski was the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year in football and baseball. He was a Second Team All-American selection as a shortstop, the position he’s projected to play at the next level.

Prep Baseball Report ranks Ponatoski as the No. 14 recruit in the 2026 class. Ohio Scouting Director Kyle Weldon shared with Bat Cats Central’s Derek Terry what makes him such a special prospect.

“Matt has elite arm strength,” Weldon said. “He has a plus hit tool with the potential to be a plus power guy eventually. He’s a winner profile, which has been seen on the football field too. This is a guy that’s highly competitive, highly skilled and has a lot of natural talent. When you combine all those things, it makes him a really sought-after prospect.”

Today was a big win for Mark Stoops and Nick Mingione. The talented athlete made the short drive from Cincinnati to Lexington often, but actually used his official visit for baseball. Before the baseball vs. football debate begins, Ponatoski made it clear to Jacob Polacheck that he wants to play ’em all.

“I’m going to try and do both for as long as possible,” he said. “The goal for me is to be drafted in both [sports]. It sounds crazy, but Kyler Murray did it not too long ago.”

In a conversation with reporters following his decision, he added, “I think people might think it might be too much, but it’s what I signed up for and I’m ready to go.”

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Not all recruiting wins are created equally. This time, it’s not just a win for Mark Stoops, but for Nick Mingione. Matt Ponatoski has committed to Kentucky.

“I’ll be committing to the University of Kentucky to play baseball and football,” Ponatoski tells KSR+. “Big Blue Nation, I’m ready to work. I’m coming not to change the program, but we’re going to put the program on the map.”

The Cincinnati Moeller athlete is an expert at throwing balls. He was tabbed as the most accurate quarterback in the country during last week’s Elite 11 camp. He’s also an All-American shortstop, ranked as one of the Top 20 baseball recruits in the country.

Mark Stoops secured a commitment from Ponatoski without actually hosting him for an official visit. Nick Mingione hosted him on behalf of the Bat Cats this spring. That’s right around the time his football recruitment really blew up. Alabama and Oregon entered the picture, and each school was able to get him on campus. Prior to his trip out west for the Elite 11 and his Oregon OV, he made a crucial pitstop in Lexington. That trip to meet with Bush Hamdan and the rest of the offense set the wheels in motion for this historic commitment.

Ponatoski is the most prolific quarterback recruit to commit to Kentucky since Tim Couch. He’s the ninth-ranked quarterback in the country and No. 100 overall player, according to On3. That ranking is going to soar once all of the recruiting services complete their next round of updates.

Often considered a baseball-first prospect, he might not have even been ranked when he camped at Kentucky last summer. Then he went out and dominated the most competitive division in Ohio high school football.

Ponatoski threw for 4,200 yards, 58 touchdowns, and only three interceptions in the Greater Catholic League. He was often the best player on the field in front of sold-out crowds. The College GameDay crew was in the stands when Ponatoski outdueled St. X’s Chase Herbstreit in a 45-37 playoff shootout. In the semifinals the following week, Ponatoski had 431 yards and six touchdowns in the first half. Moeller ultimately fell short in the Ohio Division I State Championship Game, a 28-14 loss to Olentangy Liberty.

In 2024, Ponatoski was Ohio Mr. Football. He earned Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year honors in both baseball and football.

What People Say About Ponatoski’s Game

The Elite 11 Camp earlier this month put Ponatoski on center stage in front of noteworthy talent evaluators and reporters around college football. Even though he did not win the event, it was clear that he was one of the best players on the field.

“Ponatoski looked like the most accurate Elite 11 Finalist throughout the week,” On3’s Director of Scouting Charles Power wrote. “The Cincinnati native was a smooth operator each day. He made drill work look easy, consistently delivering well-placed, catchable passes. Ponatoski carried that into Day 2, turning in one of the more impressive pro day showings while earning the highest score from the Elite 11 staff. The capped the week off with a solid showing in 7-on-7 that saw him throw three touchdowns. A dual sport star who doubles as a top baseball prospect, Ponatoski is an accurate, rhythm passer with natural timing and feel.

The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman has been covering the event for more than 20 years, and this year’s group was one of the most talented he’s ever seen.

“The most pleasant surprise to me was Ohio’s Matt Ponatoski, ranked as the No. 29 QB by 247Sports. The two-sport star has an electric arm, having been clocked at 97 mph as a pitcher. That arm wowed me Thursday morning in his 7-on-7 performance. The 6-1, 196-pounder, who is uncommitted, made two ‘wow’ throws to receivers who didn’t look open at all, but he fired the ball into the only spot he could and completed the passes. It was impressive.”

Justin Hoover, one of the coaches at the event, told Feldman, “He had a couple of those every day we were here. He’s got some confidence to put it in places that others wouldn’t even attempt to throw. He really stood out.”

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How a $5 million ‘Wild West’ NIL offer cost Texas an elite prospect they would’ve never lost under previous recruiting rules originally appeared on A to Z Sports.

The Texas Longhorns were always viewed as a heavy favorite to keep Mansfield, Texas, native and five-star offensive tackle prospect Felix Ojo in their class. Steve Sarkisian pitched an excellent situation to Ojo, including an NFL pipeline, a great NIL offer, and the ability to win.

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Instead, Ojo shocked the world when, hours before his decision came, a flurry of new crystal ball projections pointed to Texas Tech. Not long later, the Red Raiders were announced as Ojo’s next stop. The next shocker was the staggering NIL offer agreed upon, which included $775,000 a year that could swell to $5.1 million.

Ojo’s agent, Derrick Shelby, explained that the house settlement about revenue sharing is what caused the rise of the Red Raiders. He explained that offers changed after that pivotal moment, but Texas Tech stood firm.

“Through this process, some of his visits and offers were coming pre-House settlement. It was more of the wild, wild west,” Shelby said. “Once they signed off on the House settlement, a lot of the numbers changed. Now, they may not have as much to give. Tech’s number didn’t change.”

The loss was stunning for Texas in the moment, but the context makes it more understandable how Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns couldn’t win. Ojo was prioritizing the bag throughout his recruitment, and it’s why Ohio State hadn’t expected to win the fight even before the house settlement.

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Financially, Texas and Ohio State have too many players to pay to compete with a lesser program that can be top-heavy with its spending. That’s the cost that comes with being a deeper roster and hyper-competitive across numerous sports.

Ojo, a 6-foot-7, 285-pound standout, is ESPN’s No. 4 offensive tackle and the second-highest-ranked recruit from Texas in the 2026 class. After taking official visits to Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas this spring, Ojo committed to Texas Tech, marking the highest-rated recruit in the program’s history since ESPN started tracking high school prospects in 2006.

Ojo’s commitment comes with one of the most substantial fully guaranteed revenue-share agreements in college football, made possible by the recent federal settlement allowing direct athlete compensation.

ESPN indicated that Ojo’s deal is comparable to the multimillion-dollar contract signed by Jackson Cantwell, the No. 3 overall prospect in 2026, who secured over $2 million annually with incentives at Miami earlier this year.

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This move underscores Texas Tech’s aggressive investment in talent. According to ESPN’s Max Olson, the Red Raiders allocated over $10 million to acquire 17 players during the winter transfer portal window.

In total, Texas Tech added 21 transfers, assembling the nation’s second-ranked transfer class this offseason. Ojo’s signing is the latest in a series of bold financial commitments by the program, signaling its intent to compete at the highest level.

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This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.

The anticipated release of EA Sports College Football 26, the second edition since the game returned last summer, is set for this week!

Those of you who preordered will be able to play the game on Monday, July 7, while the rest of the world will have to wait a few extra days until Thursday, July 10.

Regardless, it’s time to virtually take the UNC football program to the promise land (in whichever game play mode you elect to focus on!)

Ahead of the release of this year’s edition of the game, let’s take a look at how the UNC football program ranks as a team. Considered an 82 overall squad, the Tar Heels’ defensive unit has a 84 rating, while the offense, with questions at the quarterback spot, come in at an 81 overall.

Given North Carolina’s struggles on the defensive side of the ball as of late, Tar Heel fans would certainly be thrilled to see some defensive improvements in Bill Belichick’s first season at the helm (along with his son, Steve, the program’s new defensive coordinator).

To answer the question you’re probably asking: no, Bill Belichick is not in the EA Sports College Football 26 game (are you even surprised?).

In terms of individual rankings, you probably couldn’t guess the top four rated UNC football players. No, we’re not saying you don’t have the knowledge, but with so many new faces, even we had trouble figuring out who would rank atop the list.

Another promising sign: three of the Tar Heels top four ranked players play on the defensive side of the football:

Andrew Simpson (MLB)- 87 overall
Thaddeus Dixon (CB) – 86 overall
Marcus Allen (CB) – 85 overall
Chad Lindberg (LG) – 85 overall

While there will be plenty of time to debate the initial rankings, let’s take a look at the UNC football program’s quarterback room. Transfer Gio Lopez leads the pack with an 83 overall, with veteran Max Johnson and true freshman Bryce Baker falling behind him on the depth chart:

Gio Lopez – 83 overall
Max Johnson – 77 overall
Bryce Baker – 74 overall

Let’s remember: the ratings fluctuate over time, so these are not set in stone. If the Tar Heels have some standouts early on in the season, don’t be surprised if their rankings go up once the updates start to roll in.

The question remains: are you ready for some virtual college football?!

The Ohio State football team is projected to lose yet another defensive end recruit that they have been trying to land. This time, they are projected to lose out on KJ Ford, a player that they tried to get late in this cycle. They are desperate to add defensive ends at this point.

ON3 is predicting that Ford is going to end up at Florida, which would be devastating for the Buckeyes. They are striking out left and right at defensive linemen, which is a major problem. Larry Johnson has struggled to be able to recruit in the NIL era.

Fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes were split when Johnson decided to stay for another year. Johnson was contemplating retirement, but decided to come back. If Ryan Day is smart, he will make sure that this is the only extra year that Johnson will be getting.

Another DE is expected to rebuke the Ohio State football team

Ford is a four-star recruit, so losing him would be another blow to a 2026 recruiting class that has slid down the rankings in recent weeks. They now have just the fifth-best recruiting class in the country. Just a couple of months ago, they had the second-best class.

At that time, there was talk that the Buckeyes could possibly win a recruiting national championship for the first time. Now, they are staring down the barrel of the lowest-rated recruiting class in the Ryan Day era. The fact that it is coming close to happening the year after a national championship is mind-blogging.

Ohio State will have to pivot to some different options at DE, but those options are becoming slimmer as the summer goes on. There are still six months before these kids sign with a program, so fans shouldn’t panic yet. Still, this is a bad pattern from Johnson.