UK picks up commitment from local lineman

Lexington Christian Academy offensive lineman Zach West opted to stay close to home for college by verbally commiting to UK on Wednesday.

According to Scout.com, West is the nation’s 16th-ranked offensive guard. Rivals.com has the 6-foot-5, 290-pound lineman listed as the nation’s 59th best offensive tackle.

West is a three-star recruit and had several scholarship offers, including offers from Penn State and Tennessee.

West becomes the highest-rated lineman in UK’s class of 2011 thus far, and becomes the second major coup for the Cats in the last week.

On Aug. 21, three-star offensive lineman Nick Martin, of Bishop Chatard High School (Indianapolis, Ind.), also verbally commited to UK. Martin had also received offers from Michigan, Iowa and Tennessee among others.