Former Oklahoma WR J.J. Hester Transfers to Kentucky

For the first time during this transfer portal cycle, Kentucky has secured a commitment from an offensive skill player. 6-foot-4 wide receiver J.J. Hester will be a Wildcat. On3’s Pete Nakos reports the wide receiver has signed with Kentucky. He has one season of eligibility remaining.

Hester spent the last three seasons at Oklahoma. Two of those seasons were mostly spent on the sideline with injuries. Finally healthy in 2024, this year he caught 14 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown.

Kentucky is looking for a big X-receiver to win 50-50 balls down the field. The Sooners’ passing offense was far from explosive last fall, but Hester made a nice play in Death Valley.

.@_JacksonArnold_ ➡️ @JJHester_8 for 5️⃣0️⃣! pic.twitter.com/NlbkmYhm1s

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) December 1, 2024

The wide receiver has a couple of connections at Kentucky. Hester was a Top-300 recruit when he committed to Missouri in the class of 2020. When he arrived in Columbia, he shared a position room with Ja’Mori Maclin. Their wide receivers coach was Bush Hamdan. Kentucky’s current wide receivers coach, L’Damian Washington, was the director of player development. In 2021 he had 12 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns. It will be a CoMo reunion in the Kentucky wide receivers room next fall.

Incoming Transfers

OG Josh Braun
OT Alex Wollschlaeger
OL Wallace Unamba
LB Landyn Watson
EDGE Sam Greene
WR J.J. Hester

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