Kentucky entered the spring transfer portal as shoppers at multiple positions but there was not any scholarship capital available for the Wildcats to spend. That changed quickly once some current players on the roster entered college football free agency.
La’Vell Wright was the first one to make a move. After the spring practice ended, we’ve seen six scholarship players leave the program. Mark Stoops and his coaching staff now have some roster wiggle room as they host transfer targets this week for official visits.
Kentucky now has room to add multiple transfers to the roster with five open spots now available. This is how the program is currently spending its scholarship capital.
Offense
- Quarterback (2): Brock Vandagriff (RJr.), Cutter Boley (Fr.)
- Tailback (5): Chip Trayanum (RSr.), Demie Sumo-Karngbaye (Sr.), Jamarion Wilcox (RFr.), Jason Patterson (Fr.), Tovani Mizell (Fr.)
- Wide Receiver (8): Ja’Mori Maclin (RSr.), Fred Farrier II (RJr.), Barion Brown (Jr.), Dane Key (Jr.), Brandon White (RSo.), Anthony Brown-Stephens (So.), Hardley Gilmore (Fr.), David Washington Jr. (Fr.)
- Tight End (5): Jordan Dingle (RJr.), Josh Kattus (Jr.), Khamari Anderson (So.), Tanner Lemaster (RFr.), Willie Rodriguez (Fr.)
- Interior OL (11): Eli Cox (Super), Jager Burton (RJr.), Ben Christman (RJr.), Dylan Ray (RJr.), Paul Rodriguez (RJr.), Jalen Farmer (RSo.), Koby Keenum (RFr.), Austin Ramsey (RFr.), Hayes Johnson (Fr.), Marc Nave Jr. (Fr.), Aba Selm (Fr.)
- Tackle (5): Marques Cox (Super), Courtland Ford (RSr.), Gerald Mincey (RSr.), Anfernee Crease (RSo.), Malachi Wood (RFr.)
- Total: 36
Defense
- Defensive Line (12): Josaih Hayes (Super), Darrion Henry-Young (RSr.), Octavious Oxendine (RSr.), Tre’vonn Rybka (RSr.), Kahlil Saunders (RJr.), Keeshawn Silver (RJr.), Deone Walker (Jr.), Tavion Gadson (RFr.), Kendrick Gilbert (RFr.), Tommy Ziesmer (RFr.), Brian Robinson (Fr.), Jerod Smith II (Fr.)
- EDGE (6): J.J. Weaver (Super), Tyreese Fearbry (RSo.), Noah Matthews (RSo.), Caleb Redd (Fr.), Jacob Smith (Fr.), Steven Soles (Fr.)
- Linebacker (9): Daveren Rayner (Super), D’Eryk Jackson (RSr.), Jamon Dumas-Johnson (Sr.), Jayvant Brown (So.), Grant Godfrey (RFr.), Quintavion Norman (Fr.), Antwan Smith (Fr.), Devin Smith (Fr.), Jaden Smith (Fr.)
- Cornerback (77): Jantzen Dunn (RJr.), Maxwell Hairston (RJr.), JQ Hardaway (Jr.), Nasir Addison (So.), Quavo Marshall (Fr.), Terhyon Nichols (Fr.), Quay’Sheed Scott (Fr.)
- Safety (7): Zion Childress (Super), Kristian Story (RSr.), Jordan Lovett (RJr.), Alex Afari (Jr.), Ty Bryant (So.), Avery Stuart (RFr.), Cam Dooley (Fr.)
- Total: 41
Specialists
- Alex Raynor (Super), Wilson Berry (RJr.), Jacob Kauwe (Fr.)
- Total: 3
- Team Total: 80
Heavy attrition is now expected in modern college football
Kentucky added nine scholarship transfers to the roster during the winter transfer portal window. Each was enrolled in school for the spring semester. That group could grow by a handful over the next month. To add those players, the Wildcats had to lose some players.
We have now seen 21 scholarship players leave Kentucky’s roster for the transfer portal since the end of the season. Raymond Cottrell was the rare double-dip transfer but everyone else was on the roster last season. Only Destin Wade (Colorado), Keaten Wade (Colorado), Izayah Cummings (Louisville), and Jamarius Dinkins (Purdue) have landed on power conference rosters.
Two-way player movement is a real thing in modern college football. Roster building is fluid and a true year-by-year process. Kentucky is now in position to fill holes on its roster in the final free agency window of the offseason.
The post Scholarship Distribution: Kentucky has capital to spend appeared first on On3.