Kentucky LB Jayvant Brown, DL Tommy Ziesmer will enter transfer portal

The winter transfer portal does not officially open until Monday but news is quickly starting to roll out. Two more Kentucky players have decided to leave the program.

Jayvant Brown announced his plans to enter the transfer portal on Wednesday after spending two years with the program. The South Florida product played in four games this season, preserving his redshirt. Brown becomes a free agent with three years of eligibility remaining.

#AGTG🙏🏾@On3Recruits @RivalsPortal @247SportsPortal @@Hayesfawcett3 @ESPNCFB pic.twitter.com/8S8I3uobnq

— Jayvant💤 (@JayvantBrown) December 4, 2024

The top-500 recruit flipped from Michigan State to Kentucky late in the recruiting class. Kentucky now has eight scholarship linebackers eligible to return next season. The Wildcats signed no high school prospects at linebacker and could look to address that position in the portal over the next month.

A few hours later, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Tommy Ziesmer also announced he would enter the portal. The Danville, Ky. native played in just two games this year, recording one tackle in the Ohio game and one in the Murray State game. He was rated a three-star recruit coming out of Boyle County High School, where he helped lead the Rebels to the 2022 Class 4A state title. He will also have three years of eligibility remaining.

Thank you BBN! pic.twitter.com/r7ADfE4FOs

— tommy ziesmer (@tommy_ziesmer) December 4, 2024

Brown and Zeismer become the eighth and ninth members of the 2023 signing class to leave the program, joining Shamar Porter (UConn), Avery Stuart (portal), Khamari Anderson (portal), Jaremiah Anglin (Pittsburgh), Ardell Banks (Kent State), Tanner Lemaster (portal), and Jakob Dixon (Eastern Kentucky). Only 10 players from that class are currently on the UK roster.

Kentucky Portal Tracker

The transfer portal does not officially open until Monday, Dec. 9, but so far we know of eight players who will be seeking out greener pastures this offseason.

• DL Keeshawn Silver
• DB Avery Stuart
• LS Walker Himebauch
• TE Tanner Lemaster
• TE Khamari Anderson
• LB Jayvant Brown
• OL Courtland Ford
• DL Tommy Ziesmer

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. Keep closer tabs on the Cats with our staff-only sticky thread on KSBoard, which will have updates on departures and targets throughout the offseason. Not a KSR+ member? Try it out today.