Kentucky offers New Mexico tight end transfer Keayen Nead during visit

Kentucky entered the spring transfer portal window with only four scholarship tight ends on the roster. That is a thin number for a pro-style offense that wants to utilize a heavy amount of 12 personnel where tight ends are on the field at the same time. Could Keayen Nead become the program’s next scholarship tight end?
Kentucky hosted the New Mexico transfer for a visit this weekend. Nead received a scholarship offer and had his family with him during this trip to Lexington.
Top 10
- 1Hot
Kentucky VB SWEEPS
No. 2 Texas goes down
- 2
Florida spread
UK is a home underdog
- 3
UK 10, Auburn 3
Cats win 1st SEC game!
- 4Breaking
Hugh Freeze FIRED
UK's win led to Freeze's ousting
- 5Trending
5-star Collins down to 3
UK makes the cut
Get the Daily On3 Newsletter in your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
The 6-foot-5 and 262-pound tight end was a class of 2020 recruit out of Sugar City (Idaho) who began his career at FCS Weber State after serving church mission. Keayen Nead redshirted in 2022 before playing eight games for the Wildcats as a redshirt freshman in 2023. Nead played 400-plus snaps for Weber State in 2024 and finished the season with nine receptions. This was a block-first tight end. Kentucky is looking for a block-first tight end with size.
Keayen Nead entered the winter transfer portal and picked New Mexico over WKU and numerous other Group of Five offers. The transfer was New Mexico’s starting tight end during spring practice but decided to leave the program after a few months. BYU has issued a scholarship offer but Kentucky got the transfer on campus first. The Wildcats currently only have four scholarship tight ends on the roster.
Could a commitment follow? Stay locked and loaded with KSR.
Kentucky Spring Departures
- DL Kendrick Gilbert
- OL Daniel Mincey
- OL Anfernee Crease
- CB Jiquavious “Quavo” Marshall
- IOL Marc Nave
- OL Wallace Unamba
- DL Dennious Jackson
- DL Darrion Henry-Young
Transfer Portal Class
| Player | Position | Former School | Year |
| Sam Greene | EDGE (6-2, 248) | USC | Redshirt Sophomore |
| Landyn Watson | LB (6-1, 245) | TCU/Marshall | Redshirt Senior |
| Joshua Braun | iOL (6-6, 342) | Florida/Arkansas | Super Senior |
| Alex Wollschlaeger | T (6-7, 310) | Bowling Green | Super Senior |
| J.J. Hester | WR (6-5, 201) | Missouri/Oklahoma | Super Senior |
| Zach Calzada | QB (6-4, 230) | Texas A&M/Auburn/Incarnate Word | Super Senior |
| Henry Boyer | TE (6-6, 265) | Illinois | Redshirt Junior |
| Kendrick Law | WR (6-0, 203) | Alabama | Senior |
| Dante Dowdell | RB (6-2, 227) | Oregon/Nebraska | Junior |
| Jaden Williams | iDL (6-4, 291) | Wyoming | Redshirt Junior |
| Kevis Thomas | CB (6-0, 181) | Maryland | Junior |
| Evan Wibberley | iOL (6-5, 301) | WKU | Redshirt Junior |
| Kam Olds | EDGE (6-4, 252) | Buffalo/Kent State | Senior |
| David Gusta | iDL (6-3, 316) | Washington State | Redshirt Senior |
| Troy Stellato | WR (6-1, 178) | Clemson | Redshirt Senior |
| Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace | DL (6-4, 265) | South Dakota | Redshirt Junior |
| Tru Edwards | WR (6-2, 200) | Hawaii/Louisiana Tech | Super Senior |
| Shiyazh Pete | T (6-8, 321) | New Mexico State | Redshirt Senior |
| Hardley Gilmore IV | WR (6-1, 165) | Nebraska | Sophomore |
| Lorenzo Cowan | EDGE (6-3, 247) | USC | Redshirt Freshman |








Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard