Kentucky football announces addition of 4 new transfers

National Signing Day got off to an early start in Lexington this year. On Tuesday night, Kentucky football announced through social media the addition of four new transfer portal players for the 2024 season.

Those four transfers are QB Brock Vandagriff (Georgia), WR Ja’Mori Maclin (North Texas), WR Raymond Cottrell (Texas A&M), and RB Chip Trayanum (Ohio State). National Signing Day doesn’t technically begin until Wednesday, but Kentucky went ahead and got its transfer announcements out of the way the night before. The Wildcats’ high school commits from the 2024 class expect to sign their National Letter of Intent throughout Wednesday.

You can learn more about all four incoming transfers below.

QB Brock Vandagriff | 6-3, 215 | Bogart, GA

• After spending his first three college seasons at Georgia as a five-star recruit out of high school, Vandagriff announced his transfer to Kentucky on Dec. 6. He was the fourth-ranked quarterback and No. 22 overall prospect in the class of 2021 according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Vandagriff backed up the likes of Stetson Bennett IV and Carson Beck during his time in Athens. He will have two years of college eligibility remaining.

WR Ja’Mori Maclin | 5-11, 185 | St. Louis, MO

• The cousin of NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, Ja’Mori began his college journey at Missouri, the same school Jeremey shined at. But after two years with the Tigers, Maclin transferred to North Texas where he caught for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023. He went back into the portal again, choosing Kentucky on Dec. 13. Maclin was ranked as a mid-level three-star out of high school but was one of the most sought-after pass-catchers in the portal this offseason.

WR Raymond Cottrell | 6-3, 210 | Milton, FL

• Cottrell wasted little time transferring to Kentucky out of the portal, pulling the trigger on Dec. 9 during his official visit to UK. He was a four-star prospect and the No. 230 player from the 2023 recruiting class according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He played just one season at Texas A&M as a redshirt freshman, giving him four years of eligibility at Kentucky.

RB Chip Trayanum | 5-11, 235 | Akron, OH

• Trayanum began his college career at Arizona State after leaving high school as a top 300 prospect from the 2020 class, rushing for 10 touchdowns across two seasons with the Sun Devils. He then decided to move close to home at Ohio State to play linebacker, but injuries to the Buckeyes’ backfield moved him back to his original position. Trayanum was OSU’s second-leading rusher in 2023 before entering the portal and landing with Kentucky on Dec. 12. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.