New Kentucky Football Numbers You Need to Know

Kentucky has a new football team. There is always a learning curve during this time of year. It takes time to get used to seeing new players in familiar jersey numbers. It’s an even steeper learning curve after Mark Stoops completely flipped the roster.

Before you see the team in person at Kentucky Football Fan Day on Saturday, here are a few numbers you need to know.

No. 0 Troy Stellato — He was playing his way into WR3 at Clemson when injuries put him behind the 8-ball. Something tells me that he will play an important role in this passing attack.

No. 1 Kendrick Law — The passing game is running through the Alabama transfer, according to Bush Hamdan. He’ll line up out of the slot and return kicks this fall.

No. 2 Dante Dowdell — Kentucky struggled mightily in short-yardage situations in 2024. This offseason, they brought in the best short-yardage back in college football.

No. 3 Seth McGowan — The Kentucky offense lacks star power. Early reports indicate that McGowan will provide it. An explosive playmaker, he’s also a vital asset in the passing game out of the backfield.

No. 5 Zach Calzada — The seventh-year college football veteran is the first Wildcat QB to wear No. 5 since Mike Hartline, who is the Wildcats’ last 3,000-yard passer and is currently on the Kentucky coaching staff.

No. 7 Daveren Rayner — The inside linebacker previously wore No. 17. After redshirting last season, he’s undertaking a significant responsibility as the Wildcats’ starting Mike linebacker. He has the athleticism and football IQ to thrive in the role. The question is, can he handle the physicality as a run-stuffer in the SEC?

No. 7 DJ Miller — There isn’t another true freshman who passes the “eye test” as well as the outside wide receiver. He looks like a starting wide receiver in the SEC.

No. 12 Quay’sheed Scott — The true sophomore has the tools to become the breakout star of fall camp at nickel.

No. 20 Terhyon Nichols — People forget just how well the former four-star talent from Cincinnati played as a true freshman because he suffered a shoulder injury in November that sidelined him for the final three games of the season. Expecting him to be Maxwell Hairston this fall is asking too much, but he has everything it takes to be a shutdown cornerback in the SEC.

No. 60 David Gusta — Replacing Deone Walker isn’t an easy task, but the folks around the program believe Gusta can consistently create havoc in the interior of the defensive line.

No. 62 Jager Burton — Everybody knows Jager Burton, but he doesn’t look like the same Jager Burton. His offseason transformation is jarring in all of the right ways and vital to the success of the Big Blue Wall.

No. 73 Shiyazh Pete — He’s not the largest human you’ve ever seen in a Kentucky uniform — shout out John Gruenschlaeger — but he is a giant among giants. Not only is he an enormous left tackle, he’s a delightful human to chat with.

No. 75 Joshua Braun — He doesn’t have the eye-opening size of Pete, or even his offensive guard counterpart, Jalen Farmer, but Braun might be Kentucky’s best offensive lineman.

No. 90 Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace — A late bloomer, he figured it out by cutting his teeth at the FCS level. A decorated pass-rusher who tallied 9.5 sacks and 17.0 tackles for loss last season at South Dakota, Humphrey-Grace is poised to become a star this fall for the Kentucky defense.

No. 95 Jerod Smith — People forget just how big of a recruiting win it was for Kentucky when the Cats flipped the Smith Twins from Michigan. Two years later, Jerod is physically ready for the rigors of SEC play. It will be exciting to see what he has in store for BBN this fall.