When NCAA implemented the “one-time transfer rule” and allowed student-athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) in 2021, it moved college athletics closer to professional sports. As Stoops said a few weeks back, it is now “100% free agency.”
Whether you believe it is good or bad, this is how college athletics has been trending. No longer are the days when a player will wait his turn and develop. If there are players buried in the depth chart that think they can more playing time elsewhere, or a player on a poor team can play for a Powerhouse school or finds a better NIL opportunity, then they will enter the portal.
Since the portal opened on Monday, over 1,000 players have entered their names, including ten from Kentucky. Here are the Wildcats listed and their corresponding recruiting rankings.
- Michael Drennen 4-star (RB)
- Quentel Jones 3-star (DT)
- Adrian Huey 3-star (CB)
- John Young 4-star (OT)
- Demontae Crumes 3-star (WR)
- Keaton Upshaw 3-star (WR)
- Kavosiey Smoke 3-star (RB)
- DeMarcus Harris 3-star (WR)
- Chris Lewis 4-star (WR)
- Chauncey Magwood 3-star (WR)
Earlier this week, in his weekly press conference, Stoops said that he “absolutely knew” that “five-six” players would be leaving. While he didn’t specify any names, it seems that there were a few more players enter the portal than expected.
Fortunately, none of these players contributed much this past season, and if they had in past seasons, they had since been recruited over. Stoops expressed at this point, “you just don’t want to be surprised.”
However, Stoops did go on to say that he can read the room and suggested that there could be some more leave based on their body language. “I can just stand in front of the team and look out there and as I talk to them every day, I can read the eyes.”
There could be players waiting until after the bowl game to announce, or waiting to see who is hired as offensive coordinator, as they will most likely want to bring in some of their own guys.
With that said, Kentucky has benefitted from the transfer portal more than it has lost. In the past two seasons alone, they have added key contributors such as Will Levis, Jacquez Jones, and Wan’Dale Robinson among others.
The Wildcats are off to a good start in 2023 as they look to revamp the offensive line in addition to finding a new quarterback and running back.
On Thursday, a former Glasgow high school star and four-star offensive guard who played for Alabama for four seasons, Tanner Bowles, announced that he would be playing at Kentucky next season.
College football has never had as much turnover as it does in this era, but Stoops and the staff have done a great job at adapting and still being able to compete in the SEC.
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