Following a disappointing and embarrassing 4-8 2024 season, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, who will be entering his 13th season as UK head coach, and his staff underwent a roster overhaul throughout December and January.
In addition to losing 11 graduating seniors and three players early to the NFL Draft, the Wildcats lost 22 players to the transfer portal, including starters Dane Key, Barion Brown, Jordan Dingle and Keeshawn Silver.
In response, UK signed a 19-man transfer portal class that is presently ranked sixth in the nation, only surpassed by LSU, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Auburn, and Miami, in addition to a 21-man freshman signing class that is ranked 25th best in America by 247sports.
The 19-man portal class consists of 11 offensive players and eight defensive players, many of which project as starters for the 2025 Wildcats.
Of UK’s 19 transfer portal additions, 11 have just one year of remaining eligibility, meaning Stoops, Vince Marrow, and co. are going all in on the 2025 season, which features a grueling schedule including matchups with three 2024 playoff teams: Texas, Georgia, and Tennessee. Ole Miss, coming off a 10-win 2024 campaign, and Louisville and South Carolina, coming off 9-4 campaigns, are also on the 2025 season.
More additions and losses are expected once the transfer portal re-opens this spring from April 16-25, but the heavy lifting is done for Kentucky and nearly all teams across the country.
