Former Kentucky QB recruit Gavin Wimsatt is leaving Rutgers

Gavin Wimsatt was a massive recruiting win for Rutgers in the 2021 high school cycle. The top-300 recruit was Greg Schiano‘s first big win on the trail after beginning his second stint in East Piscataway. The Owensboro (Ky.) High product turned down Kentucky and left during the middle of his senior high school season to join the Rutgers program.

After spending multiple seasons in the Big Ten, Gavin Wimsatt is looking for a new college football home. ESPN’s Pete Thamel is reporting that the redshirt junior with two years of eligibility is now in the beginning stages of entering the transfer portal after losing a QB competition during spring practice to Minnesota transfer Athan Kaliakmanis.

Sources: Rutgers has named Minnesota transfer QB Athan Kaliakmanis the starting quarterback. Rutgers QB Gavin Wimsatt, who started 18 games the last two years, has initiated the process of entering the transfer portal and will have two years of eligibility remaining. pic.twitter.com/rPcJOLAoU1

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) May 1, 2024

Gavin Wimsatt (6-3, 225) started all 13 games at quarterback for Rutgers last season helping lead the team to a 7-6 finish with a win over Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl. Wimsatt finished the season completing only 47.8 percent of his 22.2 passes per game putting up 6.0 yards per attempt. Wimsatt has had a lot of struggles (46.6 percent completion rate, 5.6 yards per attempt, 14 touchdowns, 17 interceptions) operating as a passer in the Big Ten, but has been a quality run threat at quarterback. Wimsatt has rushed for over 700 non-sack yards during his career with 11 rushing touchdowns last season.

Kentucky pursued UCLA transfer Collin Schlee during the spring transfer portal window hosting the super senior for a visit before the veteran committed to Virginia Tech on Wednesday. The Pac-12 transfer had a similar player profile to Gavin Wimsatt as a productive running quarterback who has struggled in the passing department.

Will the Wildcats try to make another run at Wimsatt? Kentucky currently only has two scholarship quarterbacks — Brock Vandagriff and Cutter Boley — on the 2024 roster.

Kentucky Football Departures in the Spring Transfer Portal

Since the conclusion of Kentucky spring practice, eight former scholarship players have entered the transfer portal.

• DB Jordan Robinson (Entered transfer portal on April 24)
• DB Jaremiah Anglin Jr. (Entered transfer portal on April 23): Committed to Pittsburgh on April 28
• WR Shamar Porter (Entered transfer portal on April 22)
• P/K Jackson Smith (Entered transfer portal on April 22)
• WR Ardell Banks (Entered transfer portal on April 22)
• WR Raymond Cottrell (Entered transfer portal on April 16)
• WR Cole Lanter (Entered transfer portal on April 16)
• RB La’Vell Wright (Entered transfer portal on April 10): Committed to Austin Peay on April 24

In addition to KSR’s Transfer Portal Tracker, you can follow every move around college football with On3’s Transfer Portal wire and by following On3’s Transfer Portal account on Twitter/X.