Kentucky has multiple positional needs to be addressed in transfer portal
The college football regular season ended on Saturday. Kentucky wrapped up the year with another double-digit victory over their in-state rival. Now it’s roster construction time.
National Signing Day arrives on Dec. 21, and Kentucky needs a strong close to a class that has a lot of holes. However, what is done in the transfer portal is also going to be critical.
Mark Stoops’ program is entering a cycle where the Cats could conceivably add up to 15 transfers to the roster. On Sunday, we saw that there could be some departures for the program very soon. Therefore, those scholarships must be replaced.
The fun will officially begin on Dec. 5 when the transfer portal window opens, but we’d be kidding ourselves if work in the free agency pool wasn’t being done now. Before diving into some specific names, let’s take a look at the positions Kentucky must address on the waiver wire.
Kentucky cannot miss at QB
Oh, we’ve reached the elephant in the room. Kentucky will have just two scholarship quarterbacks — Kaiya Sheron and Destin Wade — on the roster once redshirt senior Will Levis declares for the NFL Draft. The Cats have zero QBs in the class of 2023 and that will likely stay the same on signing day.
Kentucky must find a starting caliber QB in the transfer portal, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to grab a second player for insurance reasons as the depth at the position is in a very bad spot.
Of course, there are coaching personnel decisions to make. Will Rich Scangarello be the one making the call on the transfer? Or does Mark Stoops decide to move on and conduct another play-caller search during the first big transfer window of the offseason? These are all questions that need to be answered.
It is important to realize that there will be multiple transfer windows, and some more starting-caliber quarterbacks could become available in May after spring football concludes. Kentucky could easily strike twice at quarterback. But the program needs to know what direction it’s going in on offense first.
Big Blue Wall needs reinforcements
It’s no secret, Kentucky needs some help on the offensive line. However, most of that help is probably needed at tackle.
It seems likely that Kenneth Horsey will return for a super senior season and that will mean a move back inside at guard. There, he will team up with Eli Cox and Jager Burton at the three interior spots. But there are two big holes at tackle.
We all know this unit must be addressed with multiple transfers. Kentucky could use another body on the interior and has to find a player that can come in and start at one of the tackle spots immediately.
The offensive line is something we’ll all be watching closely as the Cats manage the portal.
Kentucky is entering unfamiliar place at tailback
After accepting his Senior Bowl bid, it appears highly likely that Chris Rodriguez Jr. turns down the extra year of eligibility and enters the NFL Draft after the bowl game. That will officially end an incredible era of high-level running back play in Lexington.
For seven consecutive seasons, Kentucky had either Rodriguez or Benny Snell Jr. in the backfield. That duo ranks No. 1 and No. 2 in career rushing yards at the school. Meanwhile, Boom Williams and A.J. Rose have been sidekicks during this run. Both of those players rank inside the top 15 of the school’s rushing list.
JuTahn McClain is scheduled to return for his senior season next year, and the former four-star recruit will enter the year as RB1. However, the Fairfield (Ohio) High product has had some durability issues each of the last two seasons. After McClain, there is a big hole.
Kavosiey Smoke likely moves on after his redshirt senior season, Mike Drennen appears to be a transfer candidate, and we do not know if Ramon Jefferson will be able to receive a medical redshirt after being hurt in the first game this season. Kentucky will get La’Vell Wright back as a redshirt sophomore, but the in-state prospect struggled when given playing time this season.
Tailback might be the biggest position of need in the class of 2023. However, commits Khalifa Keith and Kaden Moorman decommitted from the program during the season. Kentucky is pursuing multiple high school seniors, but this offense needs a player that can help right away.
Behind QB and offensive line, tailback appears to be the top transfer position of need for the program. Kentucky is coming off a historic run and very likely needs a committee approach next season until this coaching staff can find the next star. Landing a transfer that can help right away is desperately needed.
Kentucky needs more EDGE depth
J.J. Weaver has a very important draft decision to make in the coming weeks. That decision will determine how Kentucky handles outside linebacker in the transfer portal.
The Louisville (Ky.) Moore product went through Senior Day ceremonies as a redshirt junior and appears to be leaning towards going pro. That means Kentucky would lose both him and Jordan Wright on the edge. Those are some big shoes to fill.
Kentucky recruited the position well in the 2022 cycle. Keaten Wade received playing time as a true freshman and should step into a starting role. Both Tyreese Fearbry and Noah Matthews redshirted, but both have a chance to be solid players. However, that might not happen next season.
Kentucky could enter spring practice with only three scholarship EDGE players on the roster. Danville (Ky.) Boyle County senior Tommy Ziesmer could fit at EDGE, but the Kentucky commit likely needs a redshirt season. This position must be addressed if Weaver leaves. It might still need to be addressed if Weaver returns.
There is a need for linebacker depth
Shifting over to off-ball linebacker, both Jacquez Jones and DeAndre Square will play their final games for Kentucky as super seniors in the bowl. The Cats will lose both starters. However, both D’Eryk Jackson and Trevin Wallace started multiple games this. Each had some good moments.
Kentucky’s starters are set at Mike and Will entering 2023, but depth is a concern. Kentucky will only have four scholarship linebackers available for Mike Stoops after the bowl game. Grant Godfrey is currently the only commit in the 2023 class at the position.
The Cats are very likely to add another high school prospect before this cycle is over, but a transfer could also be looked at. It is unsure if either Luke Fulton or Martez Thrower is ready to be a quality contributor. As we’ve seen over the years, this is a position that has had to deal with some injury attrition.
Adding a depth piece at linebacker in the portal seems like something Kentucky should look at.
Transfers have helped at cornerback
In last year’s portal cycle, cornerback was the biggest position of need as Kentucky did not have an answer opposite Carrington Valentine. The Cats eventually landed Ole Miss transfer Keidron Smith and the super senior was rock-solid in his only season in Lexington.
One year later, Kentucky will now be looking for another starter opposite Valentine in 2023. But the depth is much improved.
Andru Phillips stepped in for an injured Vito Tisdale and had a very good year at nickel. It seems that Kentucky would like to keep the redshirt sophomore inside. Alex Afari got some looks at outside cornerback in fall camp before settling in at Kentucky’s Sam/Nickel hybrid spot. The former top-250 recruit could easily slide outside.
However, adding a transfer could be an option. Kentucky has had a lot of success with junior college cornerbacks during the Mark Stoops era. Smith and Kelvin Joseph were great transfer finds in recent years. The cornerback position is also one that has had many options in the portal era.
It will be very possible to find another quality transfer at this position. That could be something Kentucky looks at if Afari is not ready to take over a starting position.
Fixing the kicking game
Kentucky had all kinds of kicking game issues this season. Mark Stoops will probably land a special teams coordinator in the offseason. That coach will inherit a situation that could look at spending scholarships in the transfer portal.
The Cats will have starters to replace at placekicker and punter. UK could also look at landing a long snapper. Look for the program to be an active shopper for free agent specialists.
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