Kentucky DL Justin Rogers is preparing to enter transfer portal

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justin-rogers-time-to-shine-kentucky-football-defensive-line-spring-practice — (Photo courtesy of UK Athletics)

The first window for the transfer portal opened on Dec. 5 and will officially close on Jan. 18. For those players still wanting to find a new home, they will have to move fast. Unfortunately, Kentucky is about to lose a key piece of its defense.

Justin Rogers was a top-50 recruiting win for the Kentucky football program out of Detroit in the class of 2022. The blue-chip prospect saw playing time in his first year and would then become a full-time starter this past season after filling in as a sophomore when Marquan McCall missed time with an injury. As a junior, Rogers recorded 35 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss while playing over 400 snaps for Brad White’s defense this past season.

The three-year player in Lexington is looking to move on somewhere else with two years of eligibility remaining. According to Steve Wiltfong of 247 Sports, Rogers is preparing to enter the transfer portal.

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Hearing #Kentucky DL Justin Rogers has filed paperwork to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. Has 60 tackles over three seasons with the Wildcats. Out of Oak Park (Mich.) High, he was the @247Sports Composite’s No. 7 DL in the 2020 class. https://t.co/TxhIRqPBTr
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) January 3, 2023

The surprise departure now gives Kentucky 12 losses to the transfer portal since the regular season ended. However, Rogers was the only starter to leave the program. Currently, the Wildcats have 10 scholarship defensive linemen on the roster with senior Josaih Hayes and redshirt sophomore Jamarius Dinkins now primed to see bigger roles following this news.

Addressing the position before the season gets here is always an option. The second and final transfer portal window will open on May 1 but will close two weeks later.