Spring Transfer Portal Additions Have Played Big Roles for Kentucky

The spring transfer portal window is not nearly as chaotic as its December counterpart. Even though there aren’t as many players making moves, Kentucky has still used this time to add significant contributors to its roster.

There are a few reasons why this cycle features fewer transfers around college football. First and foremost, most NIL deals for the upcoming season were inked in December, locking players in for a year. Secondly, an SEC rule prohibits players from moving within the conference and receiving immediate eligibility.

Spring practice allows players to better understand their roles ahead of the upcoming season. There are fewer holes to plug, but when put in a pinch, Mark Stoops has shown over the last few years that he can find the right fit at certain positions.

Jacquez Jones

Jacquez Jones is Kentucky’s greatest success story from the spring transfer portal window. The Kentucky coaching staff did not anticipate Jamin Davis would rise up NFL Draft boards into the first round. D’Eryk Jackson was the heir apparent entering the 2021 season until he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, forcing Kentucky to make a move in the portal.

Jon Sumrall called up his former Ole Miss linebacker and it was a rousing success for all parties. Jones started in all 12 regular season games and led the team with 86 tackles. He made his biggest plays against Florida, securing a TFL that set up Kentucky’s game-changing blocked field goal. Jones also recorded a PBU in the red zone that ended the game. Injuries sidelined him for about half of his Super Senior season, but he did pick off a pass in his return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Keidron Smith

Speaking of heroics against Florida, another former Ole Miss Rebel recorded a pick six in The Swamp to take down Anthony Richardson and Co. Keidron Smith was a late addition ahead of the 2022 season who recovered a fumble in his debut that set up a Kentucky touchdown. The plug-and-play starter earned second team All-SEC honors from two different publications.

Dare Rosenthal

Kentucky desperately needed help at offensive tackle ahead of the 2021 season. They found one under unusual circumstances. Dare Rosenthal got on the market in the summer after logging significant snaps at LSU. The lengthy left tackle started in all 12 regular season games for the Cats, earning third team All-SEC honors from PFF in his one and only season in Lexington.

Alex Raynor

The previous three players would no longer receive immediate eligibility to play at Kentucky. Last spring the Wildcats found a few key players outside of the SEC footprint.

New special teams coach Jay Boulware recruited a new placekicker from Georgia Southern. Kentucky’s field goal unit could hardly get a kick off in 2022. Last fall Alex Raynor was almost perfect. Even though he did not get many opportunities, he was 48 of 49 on PATs and made 10 of 11 field goal attempts. Raynor gave the Kentucky special teams much-needed consistency and he’s back for one more season in the Bluegrass.

Dylan Ray

Dylan Ray was not on anyone’s radar when the 6-foot-6, 305-pound offensive lineman transferred from West Virginia after two seasons in Morgantown. A walk-on at West Virginia, he was not expected to play much of a role at all on the Big Blue Wall. That all changed when the injury bug bit the offensive line in the preseason. Ray appeared in all 13 games and started at 10, primarily at left guard. The Kentucky offensive line would have been in serious trouble if they did not add Ray to the roster last spring.

Kentucky Finds the Right Fit

We’re only two days into the spring transfer portal window. More players will leave the program and names on the Kentucky big board will surface. In many cases, the Cats are seeking out the best available players to upgrade the roster. There are a few areas of need Kentucky must address, most likely at cornerback. History tells us the Cats will find at least one player this spring who will play an important role for the Kentucky football team in 2024.