Northern Illinois LB Daveren Rayner schedules visit to Kentucky

Kentucky has some scholarship wiggle room with the 2023 season quickly approaching. Off-ball linebacker has been a position of need since the 2022 season ended. A prospect emerged on Monday afternoon.

Northern Illinois linebacker Daveren Rayner (6-3, 205) entered the transfer portal on April 28. The Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence Central product has since received verbal scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and UCF since making the move into free agency. Josh Edwards of 247 Sports is reporting that Rayner will visit UK on the weekend of May 11. That is the same weekend Rhode Island defensive Antonio Carter II defensive is scheduled to make the trip to Lexington.

Some portal prospects are beginning to emerge.

Rayner will be a true senior in 2023 after spending three seasons playing for head coach Thomas Hammock at Northern Illinois. The former low three-star recruit in the class of 2020 played in 22 games during his time in the MAC with 128 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and three pass breakups. Rayner played 449 snaps in 2022 and earned a 60.9 PFF grade. The off-ball linebacker recorded 3.5 sacks last season and logged a 17.5 percent pressure rate in 57 pass rush snaps.

Kentucky currently has five off-ball linebackers on scholarship with five open scholarship spots. The Wildcats recently went after Jackson State transfer Jurriente Davis before the prospect committed to Texas A&M. Kentucky is in the market for an off-ball linebacker. Rayner will be a prospect to monitor moving forward.