Kentucky lands commitment from USC transfer EDGE Lorenzo Cowan

ZGeogheganKSR

Once a Kentucky commit, Lorenzo Cowan is finally coming to play for the Wildcats.

On3’s Pete Nakos announced Thursday night that Cowan has signed with Kentucky after spending one season at Southern California. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound EDGE redshirted his true freshman season with the Trojans in 2024. He’ll come to Lexington with four years of eligibility remaining.

Cowan played high school football at Savannah (Ga.) Jenkins, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 825 overall player from the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, but did not play a snap at USC in his true freshman season. Cowan initially committed to Kentucky out of high school in September 2023 over South Florida and West Virginia, but flipped to the Trojans a few months later.

USC EDGE transfer Lorenzo Cowan has signed with Kentucky, @On3sports has learned. https://t.co/wMrfFrcNOy pic.twitter.com/SFUYajx4t8
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) April 17, 2025

Cowan is Kentucky’s second transfer addition of the spring portal window, which opened on Wednesday. He joins WR Hardley Gilmore, who also started at UK before transferring to Nebraska in the winter. Gilmore re-entered the portal earlier this week and committed to the Wildcats on Thursday morning.

A relative of current Kentucky DL Tavion Gadson, Cowan had been generating some spring ball buzz at USC.

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“Zo Cowan has had a really nice spring camp up to this point,” Head coach Lincoln Riley said just last week. “One of the guys, along with Tobias (Raymond), that we actually pointed out to the team in the team meeting yesterday as two guys that you kind of feel have really taken a jump right now. Real proud of their development.”

KSR’s Adam Luckett broke down Cowan’s film upon his first commitment to Kentucky.

“The Georgia native owns potential as a bendy edge rusher who can win quickly off the edge,” Luckett wrote. “Add in a strong athletic background, there are many reasons to think that Cowan will eventually turn into a well-rounded front seven defender that can impact the game in multiple ways. However, some physical development is needed.

“Most notably, Cowan must add good weight to his long-limbed frame. If this prospect can get up near 250 pounds while maintaining his athleticism, there is much to like about his future. He projects as a Jack linebacker who could give Kentucky an upgrade as an edge pass rusher, but development will be needed.”