Transfer Tracker: Following every spring portal move for Kentucky football
Welcome to the Kentucky football transfer portal tracker. Kentucky Sports Radio is back again to constant updates after a new portal window opened on Saturday. After running a tracker during the first transfer portal window, we’re back again to do the same over the next two weeks.
The transfer portal is not new to college athletics, but this year it’s at a greater scale than ever before. Originally established in Oct. 2018, the new calendar cycle within the portal begins each August. The current window will be open for 15 days from April 15-April 30. Players can enter the portal and transfer to another school, or withdraw their name and return. However, intraconference transfers in the SEC are not allowed since the rules stat that players must enter the portal by Feb. 1 to be eligible to switch schools within the conference. Each college athlete now gets one free transfer and retains eligibility for the following year. College graduates are granted another free transfer.
Last year about a dozen Kentucky football players left via the portal with eight new arrivals for the 2022 season. We’ve seen those numbers to grow this offseason.
KSR’s tracker will keep a full rundown of the departures and additions while also provide updates when there is news.
Departing transfers
DeMarcus Harris: Entered transfer portal on Nov. 28 and committed to Marshall on Dec. 20Kavosiey Smoke: Entered transfer portal on Dec. 1 and committed to Colorado on Jan. 11Chauncey Magwood: Entered transfer portal on Dec. 5 and committed to UCF on Dec. 20Chris Lewis: Entered transfer portal on Dec. 5 and committed to Troy on Dec. 20John Young: Entered transfer portal on Dec. 5 and committed to Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 18Adrian Huey: Entered transfer portal on Dec. 5 and committed to Tulsa Feb. 1Keaton Upshaw: Entered transfer portal on Dec. 6 and committed to Georgia Southern on Dec. 21Michael Drennen: Entered transfer portal on Dec. 6Tae Tae Crumes: Entered transfer portal on Dec. 6Kiyaunta Goodwin: Entered transfer portal on Dec. 16 and committed to Florida on Jan. 25Justin Rogers: Entered transfer portal on Jan. 3 and committed to Auburn on Jan. 12Kobi Albert: Entered transfer portal on Jan. 7 and committed to Mississippi State on Jan. 15Andre Stewart: Entered transfer portal on April 15Vito Tisdale: Entered transfer portal on April 15Total: 14
Incoming transfers
Marques Cox (Northern Illinois): Entered transfer portal on Nov. 28 and committed to Kentucky on Dec. 15JQ Hardaway (Cincinnati): Entered transfer portal on Nov. 29 and committed to Kentucky on Dec. 15Tanner Bowles (Alabama): Entered transfer portal on Nov. 30 and committed to Kentucky on Dec. 8Devin Leary (NC State): Entered transfer portal on Dec. 5 and committed to Kentucky on Dec. 20Ray Davis (Vanderbilt): Entered transfer portal on Dec. 5 and committed to Kentucky on Dec. 20Keeshawn Silver (North Carolina): Entered transfer portal on Dec. 8 and committed to Kentucky on Jan. 8Jantzen Dunn (Ohio State): Entered transfer portal on Dec. 13 and committed to Kentucky on Dec. 18Courtland Ford (USC): Entered transfer portal April 16 and committed to Kentucky on April 22Total: 8
Scholarship distribution
Per KSR’s count, Kentucky currently has 82 scholarships accounted for with three available spots as of April 15. Here is how the Wildcats are spending their scholarship capital.
— QB (4): Devin Leary (Super), Deuce Hogan (RJr.), Kaiya Sheron (RSo.), Destin Wade (RFr.)
— RB (7): Justice Dingle (Super), Ramon Jefferson (Super) Ray Davis (RSr.), JuTahn McClain (Sr.), Dee Beckwith (RJr.) La’Vell Wright (RSo.), Jamarion Wilcox (Fr.)
— WR (9): Tayvion Robinson (Super), Dekel Crowdus (RSo.), Barion Brown (So.), Dane Key (So.), Jordan Anthony (RFr.), Brandon White (RFr.), Ardell Banks (Fr.), Anthony Brown (Fr.), Shamar Porter (Fr.)
— TE (7): Brenden Bates (Super), Izayah Cummings (Sr.), Jordan Dingle (RSo.), Josh Kattus (So.), Khamari Anderson (Fr.), Jakob Dixon (Fr.), Tanner Lemaster (Fr.)
— iOL (8): Kenneth Horsey (Super), Tanner Bowles (RSr.), Eli Cox (RSr.), Jager Burton (RSo.), Paul Rodriguez (RSo.) Grant Bingham (RFr.), Koby Keenum (Fr.), Austin Ramsey (Fr.)
— T (8): Marques Cox (Super), Jeremy Flax (RSr.), Deondre Buford (RJr.), Courtland Ford (RJr.), Josh Jones (RJr.), David Wohlabaugh Jr. (RSo.), Nikolas Hall (RFr.), Malachi Wood (Fr.)
— Offense: 42
— DL (13): Josaih Hayes (Sr.), Sam Anaele (RJr.), Darrion Henry-Young (RJr.), Octavious Oxendine (RJr.), Tre’vonn Rybka (RJr.), Jamarius Dinkins (RSo.), Kahlil Saunders (RSo.), Keeshawn Silver (RSo.), Deone Walker (So.), Tomiwa Durojaiye (RFr.), Tavion Gadson (Fr.), Kendrick Gilbert (Fr.), Tommy Ziesmer (Fr.)
— EDGE (5): J.J. Weaver (RSr.), Keaten Wade (So.), Tyreese Fearbry (RFr.), Noah Matthews (RFr.), Grant Godfrey (Fr.)
— LB (5): Luke Fulton (RSr.), D’Eryk Jackson (RJr.), Martez Thrower (Jr.), Trevin Wallace (Jr.), Jayvant Brown (Fr.)
— CB (8): Andru Phillips (RJr.), Jantzen Dunn (RSo.), Maxwell Hairston (RSo.), Jordan Robinson (RSo.), JQ Hardaway (So.), Elijah Reed (RFr.), Nasir Addison (Fr.), Avery Stuart (Fr.)
— S (6): Jalen Geiger (RSr.), Zion Childress (Sr.), Jordan Lovett (RSo.), Alex Afari (So.), Jaremiah Anglin (Fr.), Ty Bryant (Fr.)
— Defense: 37
— Specialists (3): Chance Poore (Super), Wilson Berry (RSo.), Jackson Smith (RFr.)
— Total: 83
April 22: Courtland Ford, Vito Tisdale make transfer decisions
On Day 8, we finally saw some player movement in the transfer portal. Kentucky now has a new potential starting right tackle and a former defensive back has found a Power Five home.
The day got started when Vito Tisdale committed to Colorado during a visit for the first spring game in Boulder with Deion Sanders running show. The Bowling Green (Ky.) High product will join former Kentucky tailback Kavosiey Smoke out in the Pac-12 to play for Coach Prime.
However, the biggest news dropped on Saturday night.
USC transfer Courtland Ford immediately emerged as the top tackle prospect for Kentucky in the spring portal window. The Wildcats did not waste time when the Texas native was on campus this weekend.
KSR’s Matt Jones broke the news that Ford committed to the coaching staff on Saturday. Kentucky has added their third offensive line transfer this offseason as the Big Blue Wall goes through a massive rebuild.
Kentucky now has 83 scholarships accounted for on the 2023 roster.
April 20: The Latest on Courtland Ford, Jurriente Davis
Roush: The USC offensive tackle transfer will begin his official visit to Kentucky on Friday. Hopefully the weather cooperates to give him a quality dose of Keeneland to complement his evening at Jeff Ruby’s.
Overall, it’s been a relatively quiet recruitment. History tells us that’s a positive. The fewer visits and interviews, the better off for the Wildcats. However, KSR has learned that South Carolina has tried to enter the race for Ford’s services. Despite this push from Shane Beamer, multiple sources still believe the Wildcats are in the driver’s seat. I am placing an RPM prediction for Ford to ultimately land at Kentucky and fortify the Big Blue Wall.
Luckett: On Day 6, not all news was good news for the Kentucky football program. As the staff at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility was getting everything ready for Ford’s critical visit, Kentucky lost a key prospect of note when Jackson State transfer Jurriente Davis committed to Texas A&M.
The Wildcats got the first visit for the former junior college and Middle Tennessee linebacker, but the North Carolina native decided to roll with Jimbo Fisher and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin in College Station. Another prospect will need to emerge if Kentucky wants to address off-ball linebacker before the transfer portal closes on April 30.
April 18: Kentucky offers Rhode Island DB Antonio Carter II
A surprise target emerged on Day 4. Kentucky became the second Power Five program to offer Rhode Island transfer Antonio Carter II late on Monday night. That started quite the 24 hours for the FCS transfer.
The Central Florida native currently owns offers from Kentucky, Baylor, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Minnesota, Oregon State, Texas A&M, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia. Carter is a redshirt senior with two years of eligibility remaining and is a strong tackling defensive back who could have cornerback and safety versatility.
April 17: Kentucky offers Wyoming transfer Emmanuel Pregnon
Day 3 of 15 passed by in the spring transfer portal window with Kentucky again attempting to upgrade the Big Blue Wall. However, the Cats aren’t just looking at tackle.
Wyoming guard Emmanuel Pregnon might be the best available prospect in the portal and the Wildcats entered the race by issuing a scholarship offer along with Penn State, Ole Miss, and Arizona State. Pregnon has legitimate NFL Draft potential with three years of eligibility remaining. The Mountain West transfer could see a heated transfer recruitment.
April 16: Courtland Ford enters portal, schedules Kentucky visit
There weren’t a ton of transfer portal entries on Sunday as the spring window has been light to this point. However, there was one huge development for Kentucky.
USC offensive tackle Courtland Ford officially entered the transfer portal after three seasons in Los Angeles on Sunday. The former high three-star recruit out of Cedar Hill (Texas) High in Greater Dallas started 12 games for the Trojans over the last two years. The redshirt junior immediately became a Kentucky prospect of note.
KSR’s Nick Roush is reporting that Ford has a visit scheduled with Kentucky this week as this recruitment could move very fast. The Wildcats have a huge need at right tackle. Ford could be target No. 1 for Mark Stoops and his coaching staff.
April 15: Andre Stewart, Vito Tisdale enter transfer portal
Kentucky did not have to wait long to see the first roster move in this transfer portal window. On3’s Matt Zenitz was the first to report that redshirt freshman cornerback Andre Stewart has entered the transfer portal.
A former Auburn commit, Stewart (5-11, 184) was a high three-star recruit in the class of 2022 out of Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb. The top-600 prospect was added to a position of need and was one of UK’s early wins in the 2022 recruiting cycle. Stewart owned listed offers from Florida, LSU, Arkansas, Miami, Ole Miss, Michigan State, Louisville, Oregon, Tennessee and others during the recruiting process.
Stewart is the third 2022 signee to enter the transfer portal following Kobi Albert (Mississippi State) and Kiyaunta Goodwin (Florida).
Stewart was quickly joined by former Kentucky defensive back Vito Tisdale. The in-state native was dismissed from the Kentucky program for a violation of team rules in March, but has secondary experience in the SEC. That could make the redshirt junior an attractive target for teams needing to address depth in the secondary.
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