Spring Briefing: Can transfers fill the void for Kentucky at EDGE?

Preparations for the 2024 college football season are already underway at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. In a few short weeks, cleats will be hitting the grass practice fields and/or the turf at the Nutter Field House as Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops oversees his 13th team at Kentucky.

The Wildcats are fresh off some notable roster-building in the transfer portal. At outside linebacker, former Cincinnati co-defensive coordinator Nate Fuqua joins the staff and could take over some position coaching duties from defensive coordinator Brad White. The Wildcats have two experienced staffers at this position that added two transfers in the offseason but doesn’t have a ton of depth.

J.J. Weaver leaves a big hole to fill after playing over 2,400 snaps during his career. Kentucky will be turning to transfers and in-house development at this critical position in Kentucky’s base 3-4 defense.

In KSR’s Spring Briefing series, we will cover every position on Kentucky’s roster before spring practice begins. Now we shift to the defense where the program will need some impact performers to emerge in the trenches.

KSR’s Spring Preview Series: Quarterbacks, Tailbacks, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Line, Defensive Line

The Room

Kam Olds (6-4, 252, Senior)

The two-time MAC transfer is now at Kentucky for his final year of eligibility. Olds set career highs in snaps (474), tackles (42), tackles for loss (seven), sacks (six), and pressures (29) in 2024. The transfer picked Kentucky over Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, and Nebraska. The addition gives UK a potential bendy edge rusher who can turn the corner.

Sam Greene (6-2, 248, Redshirt Sophomore)

Kentucky’s first transfer addition this offseason came from Los Angeles. The Big Ten transfer is a DMV native who emerged as a very effective run defender playing outside linebacker for USC as a redshirt freshman in 2024. Greene has three years of eligibility remaining.

Steven Soles Jr. (6-2, 237, Sophomore)

The East Tennessee native was a surprise contributor in year one as he showed some real juice as a pass rusher. Soles is undersized for the position but will be expected to have a big role in Kentucky’s pass rush packages this season.

Jacob Smith (6-4, 248, Redshirt Freshman)

The blue-chip recruiting win dealt with a shoulder injury for most of last season but is expected to be good to call this fall. Smith could fill the standup Sam linebacker role in Kentucky’s 3-4 base.

Top Storyline: How Kam Olds and Sam Greene fit

Kentucky had a need to fill at EDGE in the transfer portal. That ended with Kentucky Sam Greene and Kam Olds joining the program. A platoon with these two players is the expectation at Jack linebacker. Kentucky needs both players to produce.

Greene should provide immediate production as a hard edge setter in the run game. Olds will give this position a boost in athleticism. Steven Soles Jr. and Jacob Smith should fill rotational roles but Kentucky needs the transfer additions to play a significant role on defense.

This spring will be about getting Olds and Greene comfortable. Kentucky will need both when the season begins on Labor Day weekend.

What to Watch: Potential year two leap for Steven Soles Jr.

Steven Soles Jr. was a bit of surprise recruiting addition add for Kentucky in the 2024 high school cycle. The three-star recruit did not wait long to make a splash. Soles played 49 snaps as a rookie and recorded 13 pressures in 36 pass rush snaps. The young player flashed when he was on the field.

What happens when the snap count sample size gets bigger?

The sophomore is a bit of a tweener and won’t see much time at Kentucky’s Jack position but will be someone Brad White makes a conscious effort to get on the field. Soles has motor and twitch. That could lead him to becoming quite the situational pass rusher.

This spring will give the sophomore a chance to carve out a role on defense. The young player is one of the biggest wild cards on this unit.

Bold Prediction: Kentucky will go to the transfer portal in April to address the position

Kentucky enters the spring feeling good about what Kam Olds and Sam Greene could bring to the defense. Steven Soles Jr. will 100 percent have a role in Kentucky’s pass rush package. Jacob Smith is a young player with a high ceiling.

But that’s it.

Four-star recruit Cedric Works Jr. will arrive on campus in the summer but a redshirt seems likely. Kentucky could use another body at EDGE. Look the Cats to try and address this position again in the portal.