2026 OL Benjamin Novak ‘Definitely’ Plans to Visit Kentucky After Adding Offer

2026 offensive lineman Benjamin Novak is among the latest prospects to receive an offer from Kentucky . UK is now looking to get him on campus for a game.

The 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle and guard from Andrean (Merrillville, IN) told KSR+ that he had been texting with Kentucky offensive line coach Eric Wolford “for a while” before the offer. He was somewhat surprised when the offer came.

“I was definitely surprised at first,” Novak said. “I’m just very thankful for the opportunity.”

Novak’s conversation with Kentucky mainly came down to Wolford’s coaching career. He talked about coaching under Nick Saban at Alabama and his track record of sending players to the pros.

“He has a legacy of bringing offensive linemen to the NFL and has seen his players get like 46 NFL contracts, which is outstanding,” Novak said. “It’s very impressive.”

It also helps that Kentucky plays in the SEC. Novak also said that Kentucky looks to have a “really good” team in 2024.

“They’re in arguably the hardest conference in college football in the SEC,” he said. “They’re going to make something happen. They play Georgia and a lot of big-name schools. It’s a hard schedule. Regardless of their record, they play a rigorous schedule, they compete, they play hard, and that’s everything you want in a football team.”

Novak plans to play the guard position in college but can play tackle if necessary. His versatility is something that appeals to the Kentucky coaches.

“He likes my frame, my size, my footwork, and my ability to get out to the lane where the defensive lineman is going to attack,” Novak said. “I assume I’d be in that guard position.”

Wolford invited Novak to Kentucky’s first two games of the season and its matchup versus Georgia on Sept. 14. He’s still figuring out when he’ll make it to campus.

“I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it to those games, but I’ll definitely make it down to Lexington this year,” he said.

His Wider Recruitment

Benjamin Novak is taking the recruiting process day-by-day but already has a lot of schools involved. Kentucky, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Louisville, and Oklahoma are among the main schools in contact.

Novak took visits to Louisville and Wisconsin in July. He broke down both programs:

Louisville : “I liked the winning atmosphere and how they’re going to do whatever it takes to win. It’s a competitive atmosphere. I liked the O-Line coach, Coach [Richard] Owens. He’s a very down-to-earth guy and he’s very personable.”

Wisconsin : “The Wisconsin visit was very cool. I got a lot of personal time with the head coach, the offensive line coach, and a lot of the players, along with Coach [Zack] Heeman and Coach Casey Rabach. I got a lot of personal time and we talked a lot about academics. We had a good trip around campus. We rode golf carts around campus, playing scavenger hunts. It was a really fun time.”

Novak plans on returning to Wisconsin on Sept. 14 for the Badgers’ matchup against Alabama. That’s the only visit he has planned so far.

“I’m looking for a hard institution to get into as a student,” he said. “Two, just a personal relationship with the coaches — the head coach and offensive line coach. Three, somewhere that feels like home and a place where I’m wanted.”

Benjamin Novak’s Game

2026 offensive lineman Benjamin Novak of Andrean (IN) is not currently ranked by the On3 Industry Ranking. 247Sports lists Novak as a three-star recruit and the nation’s No. 43 offensive tackle.

“I feel like I can pick apart defenses in film, on the field, and beat blitzes,” Novak said. “My footwork and overall strength have definitely improved during this offseason. In my opinion, my upper body and lower body strength are top-tier. My pass protection has definitely gotten very, very good this offseason thanks to my trainer. Every part of my game has improved throughout this offseason.”

Novak is looking to improve his pass protection heading into the season. He doesn’t want to lean as much when pass-protecting.

“I’m going to come down to Kentucky, embrace it, and have a great time,” he said. “If I come to Kentucky, they’re going to have a big dog coming in.”

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