Key, Brown showed Shamar Porter the blueprint for early success

Conventional wisdom tells us that playing as a true freshman in the SEC is rare, rarer than Mr. Clean with hair. That conventional wisdom is rarely an option for top high school football prospects. Many think they can play right away, but few can actually make an immediate impact.

In 2022 Dane Key and Barion Brown defied norms with record-breaking rookie seasons in Lexington. The wide receivers each set new UK freshman records. Brown led the team in receptions (50) and receiving yards (628), while Key caught more touchdown passes (6) than any other Wildcat.

The pass-catchers’ immediate success forecasts a bright future. It might deter most people from joining the competition, but Shamar Porter isn’t most people. Instead of shying away from Key and Brown, he believes his predecessors showed him a path to making an early impact as a freshman in the SEC.

“It’s very inspiring,” Porter told KSR at UK Fan Day. “I look at everybody the same here. I look at them as teammates, friends and some of them leaders. Seeing people like Barion and Dane, it’s very inspiring as freshmen who took a leap from high school last year and came into college doing their thing.”

Like Brown and Key, Porter was a four-star talent and one of the highest-ranked players in Kentucky’s 2023 recruiting class. He hails from Brown’s hometown of Nashville, but he plays more like Key as a big, physical target at outside receiver. Porter believes his skillset is exactly what Liam Coen‘s offense needed.

“It’s going to be something different,” Porter said. “I think I’m a key component and I think I’ll fit and be a piece they don’t have on the offense. I’ll be an electric guy that shocks everybody.”

Porter picked up the playbook rather quickly, but the Cats eased him into the rotation. KSR heard he made a few “WOW” plays at practice last week that could move him up the depth chart. Devin Leary has made the adjustment to college football easy for Shamar Porter.

“It’s definitely different from high school. Basically, I haven’t had to make a good catch yet. In my mind, back in high school I’m thinking I gotta make a good catch over somebody and everything. Now it’s one-on-one, so I gotta figure out how to get open and he’ll put it in a good place for me.”

A 6-foot-3, 205-pound weapon, Shamar Porter is bringing a ton of playmaking potential to Lexington this fall.

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