Rutgers transfer QB Gavin Wimsatt commits to Kentucky

Former Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Gavin Wimsatt is joining the Kentucky Wildcats via the NCAA transfer portal, he posted on Instagram on Tuesday.

Over the course of three seasons, Wimsatt had 2,537 yards, 14 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, a 47.8% completion percentage, 628 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns.

QB Gavin Wimsatt commits to KENTUCKY pic.twitter.com/D0YpBItgkg

— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) May 7, 2024

Wimsatt struggled with accuracy throughout his career but had a positive touchdown-interception ratio on 2023, the first of his career. He also unlocked his dual threat ability under offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarocca.

Out of his 628 rushing yards, he ran for 497 last season and scored all 11 of his career touchdowns on the ground last year. As the starter, Wimsatt led Rutgers to a 7-6 record and a victory over Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl last winter.

Wimsatt originally hopped into the portal on the heels of the Scarlet Knights naming Minnesota transfer Athan Kaliakmanis the starting quarterback following spring practice. Wimsatt’s departure left Rutgers with three scholarship quarterbacks: Kaliakmanis, redshirt freshman Ajani Sheppard and true freshman AJ Surace.

Despite Wimsatt’s success with the Scarlet Knights, Kaliakmanis came in as a transfer and the battle was on. Now, Wimsatt is joining the Wildcats.

“(The coaching staff does) a good job of just evaluating and keeping (where the quarterback battle is leaning) between themselves,” Wimsatt said after the spring game for Rutgers, via NJ Advance Media. “I think me and Athan do a good job of not getting too caught up in that. We’re competing, we’re gonna compete, but just picking each other’s brains and not letting it affect us off the field. (Athan is) a great guy, he’s lifted up our room a really good amount with his experiences.”

As a member of the Class of 2021, Wimsatt was a four-star recruit out of Owensboro (Ken.) High, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 3 overall prospect in the state, the No. 27 quarterback in the class and the No. 268 overall prospect in the class.

Wimsatt was the highest ranked quarterback recruit in Rutgers history when he committed. He enrolled early skipped his senior year of high school on an NIL deal. He did that the same season Quinn Ewers enrolled at Ohio State for his first year of college football, before his eventual transfer to Texas.

Time will tell, but Gavin Wimsatt has the tools to be a major player at the collegiate level. We’ll see if he figures it out back in his home-state.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this article.