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Just how different is Kentucky's offensive roster in 2025?

3val57SW_400x400 (1)by: Justin Rowland07/10/25
Kentucky TE Willie Rodriguez, via Carter Skaggs-Imagn Images
Kentucky TE Willie Rodriguez, via Carter Skaggs-Imagn Images

Before long Cats Illustrated will be filled with fall practice reports as preparation for the season heats up. For now it’s still talking season. We don’t know what we don’t know, but rosters are mostly set and we’ve had an entire offseason to take stock of changes to the program.

A whole lot of work went into getting those rosters set, and when you zoom out, the scale of roster turnover is tremendous.

Here’s a look at just how much Kentucky’s scholarship football roster has changed since last year.

Bold denotes a first-year player in the program.

** denotes that a player is no longer with the program.

Quarterback

20242025
Brock Vandagriff**Zach Calzada
Gavin Wimsatt**Cutter Boley
Cutter BoleyBrennen Ward
Stone Saunders

Three quarterbacks saw meaningful action for Kentucky last season. Of those, only Cutter Boley returns. Three of the four scholarship quarterbacks in the program for the 2025 season are new players for the Wildcats. Half the room is set up to play now while two of the four players are true freshmen who are probably on track for developmental seasons with Bush Hamdan. While there are definitely still questions about the top of the depth chart, there’s a better long term forecast because there are more younger players with potential to work on. Beau Allen was on last year’s team and is on this year’s team as a walk-on.

Running Back / Wide Receiver / Tight End

20242025
Demie Sumo-Karngbaye**Jamarion Wilcox
Jamarion WilcoxSeth McGowan
Jason PattersonDante Dowdell
Chip Trayanum**Jason Patterson
Tovani MizellTovani Mizell
20242025
Barion Brown**Ja’Mori Maclin
Dane Key**Troy Stellato
Ja’Mori MaclinKendrick Law
Fred FarrierJJ Hester
Hardley GilmoreFred Farrier
Anthony Brown-Stephens**Hardley Gilmore
Brandon WhiteAshton Cozart
David Washington Jr.David Washington Jr.
DJ Miller
Cameron Miller
Quinton Simmons Jr
Preston Bowman
20242025
Josh KattusJosh Kattus
Khamari Anderson**Willie Rodriguez
Jordan Dingle**Henry Boyer
Willie RodriguezMikkel Skinner
Tanner Lemaster**Elijah Brown

Kentucky had four scholarship running backs available last season with Tovani Mizell rehabbing from an injury. For much of the season only three backs were available, as Chip Trayanum didn’t see the field much. The hope is that Dante Dowdell can give UK more power running than Trayanum was able to provide and that Jamarion Wilcox is able to carry more of a workload. Even if he can’t, Seth McGowan comes in from New Mexico State where he shared a workload last season. The depth situation has improved from last year, and time will tell if improvement makes the top of the depth chart better, too.

At receiver the Wildcats lose a lot of star power, or at least a couple of players with a lot of name recognition. Barion Brown and Dane Key will be at LSU and Nebraska, respectively. Helping the situation was the return of Hardley Gilmore from Nebraska after he was kicked off the team in Lincoln. Ja’Mori Maclin should be featured more than last year. L’Damian Washington also has a full class of high school and college transfers to fit into his rotation. There are a lot more players on scholarship and probably a better assortment of complementary parts but how Kentucky will fare at replacing its top two pass-catching options is an open question.

Moving on to tight end the depth situation looks similar to last year. Josh Kattus returns with the same role but Willie Rodriguez may be in line to see the field a lot more this season.

Offensive Line

20242025
Marques Cox**Shiyazh Pete
Eli Cox**Joshua Braun
Courtland Ford**Jager Burton
Jager BurtonJalen Farmer
Jalen FarmerAlex Wollschlaeger
Aba SelmEvan Wibberley
Gerald Mincey**Malachi Wood
Anfernee CreaseAba Selm
Malachi WoodHayes Johnson
Ben Christman**Cameron Jones
Koby Keenum**Rob Fogler
Daniel MinceyDarrin Strey
Hayes JohnsonJayden Clark
Dylan Ray**Bryan Auguste
Austin RamseyJermiel Atkins
Jason Ekperuoh

Once again it seems like we have a unit that is deeper on paper than it was last season. Austin Ramsey moves to the defensive line and seven of the scholarship offensive linemen from last year’s team have moved on. The Wildcats have 11 first-year offensive linemen in the program. Some of those players have extensive game experience at the college level while others are freshmen or developmental prospects themselves.

  • Two of last year’s three scholarship quarterbacks are gone while three of this year’s four scholarship quarterbacks are new at UK.
  • Two of the four scholarship backs who were available at some point last season are gone, while two of the five scholarship backs on this year’s roster are first-year Wildcats.
  • Three of the scholarship receivers in last year’s small room are gone and there are eight new scholarship players on the 2025 roster.
  • Kentucky lost or shed seven of the scholarship offensive linemen from last year’s roster and brought in 11 new offensive linemen from high school or the portal.
  • In total, 63% of Kentucky’s scholarship players on offense are first-year players in the program.