Mark Stoops signed a solid class at Kentucky, but it’s hard to pinpoint which specific player will come in and make the biggest impact early. At this time a year ago, who would’ve guessed that three-star running back Benny Snell was going to break out like he did?

However, it’s hard to think fellow three-star Lynn Bowden won’t see the field early with the way Stoops was talking about him on signing day.

“Lynn is exceptional with the ball in his hands,” Stoops said. “He’s explosive. As you know, I grew up in the same hometown, and I can’t tell you how many people would call and tell me that he’s the best football player they’ve seen come out of that area in a long time.

“Now, I take great offense to that. (Laughs). But I guess I was a long, long time ago. But no, he’s just exceptional. He’s just dynamic. He can play a lot of positions.”

Listed as an athlete, the 6-foot,185-pound Bowden can play wide receiver, cornerback and because of his background as a high school quarterback, he’s also comfortable coming out of the backfield as a running back or even a Wildcat quarterback. As a senior, he ran for 2,277 yards, threw for 1,366 yards and accounted for 57 total touchdowns.

Though Stoops is a defensive-minded coach, he wants to start Bowden on offense when he first gets on campus.

“He will play receiver,” Stoops said. “You may see him some in the backfield at running back. He certainly could play anywhere on defense, but I think he’s the type of guy where he changes the digits on the scoreboard, so you want to put the ball in his hands as many times as you can.”

Part of that decision might have also had something to do with the fact that leading receiver Jeff Badet announced he was transferring after the season. There are still plenty of options there with Garrett Johnson, Dorian Baker, Tavin Richardson and Blake Bone, but Bowden gives second-year offensive coordinator Eddie Gran another weapon to play with on offense.