Kentucky Roster Update: New jersey numbers and surprising absences

Talking season means updated rosters. On Sunday evening, media guides were released for all 14 teams in the Southeastern Conference. In Kentucky’s updated roster, we now have numbers for every player.

After our last update in the spring saw 15 scholarship newcomers receive new jersey numbers, there are 16 new Wildcats that now have digits. The season is coming soon.

• 0. Demie Sumo-Karngbaye (6-0, 210, Jr.)
• 2. Shamar Porter (6-2, 205, Fr.)
• 10. Jamarion Wilcox (5-10, 184, Fr.)
• 15. Jaremiah Anglin Jr. (6-1, 185, Fr.)
• 16. Alex Raynor (6-0, 178, RSr.)
• 17. Daveren Rayner (6-2, 217, Sr.)
• 19. Nasir Addison (6-0, 187, Fr.)
• 22. Grant Godfrey (6-3, 227, Fr.)
• 30. Avery Stuart (6-2, 186, Fr.)
• 38. Jayvant Brown (6-0, 226, Fr.)
• 46. Ron Gaines (6-5, 250, Grad)
• 52. Ben Christman (6-6, 321, RSo.)
• 74. Courtland Ford (6-6, 315, RJr.)
• 87. Ardell Banks (6-3, 187, Fr.)
• 88. Tanner Lemaster (6-5, 253, Fr.)
• 94. Tavion Gadson (6-5, 275, Fr.)
• 99. Kendrick Gilbert (6-5, 292, Fr.)

Transfers Demie Sumo-Karngbaye (NC State), Alex Raynor (Georgia Southern), Daveren Rayner (Northern Illinois), Ron Gaines (Fordham), Ben Christman (Ohio State), and Courtland Ford (USC) are joined by 11 true freshmen on the newest roster.

Three players missing

UPDATE: Kentucky confirms with Jon Hale that Beckwith and Larkins will not be on the team this fall, but Austin Ramsey’s status is uncertain ahead of the 2023 season.

In KSR’s latest scholarship distribution count, Dee Beckwith, Kevin Larkins Jr., and Austin Ramsey were each listed as accounting for one of the 81 scholarships currently occupied on Kentucky’s roster. All three were missing in this latest update.

Beckwith is a former Tennessee transfer who spent the last season with the Wildcats and received playing time at tailback. Larkins was a surprise addition that committed to UK in May after leading Division II in interceptions (eight) as a freshman. Ramsey was a three-star signee out of Philadelphia (Pa.) Roman Catholic who committed to the Wildcats shortly after his official visit last June.

By our count, Kentucky is now down to 79 scholarship players after KSR confirmed that longsnapper Ron Gaines will be a scholarship player this season. Expect some walk-ons to be put on scholarship in the coming weeks.

— QB (4): Devin Leary (Super), Deuce Hogan (RJr.), Kaiya Sheron (RSo.), Destin Wade (RFr.)

— RB (7): Justice Dingle (Super), Ramon Jefferson (Super) Ray Davis (RSr.), JuTahn McClain (Sr.), La’Vell Wright (RSo.), Demie Sumo-Karngbaye (RSo.), Jamarion Wilcox (Fr.)

— WR (8): Tayvion Robinson (Super), Dekel Crowdus (RSo.), Barion Brown (So.), Dane Key (So.), Brandon White (RFr.), Ardell Banks (Fr.), Anthony Brown (Fr.), Shamar Porter (Fr.)

— TE (6): Brenden Bates (Super), Izayah Cummings (Sr.), Jordan Dingle (RSo.), Josh Kattus (So.), Khamari Anderson (Fr.), Tanner Lemaster (Fr.)

— iOL (7): Kenneth Horsey (Super), Tanner Bowles (RSr.), Eli Cox (RSr.), Jager Burton (RSo.), Ben Christman (RSo.), Paul Rodriguez (RSo.) Grant Bingham (RFr.), Koby Keenum (Fr.)

— T (5): Marques Cox (Super), Jeremy Flax (RSr.), Courtland Ford (RJr.), Nikolas Hall (RFr.), Malachi Wood (Fr.)

— Offense: 38

— DL (11): Josaih Hayes (Sr.), Darrion Henry-Young (RJr.), Octavious Oxendine (RJr.), Tre’vonn Rybka (RJr.), Jamarius Dinkins (RSo.), Kahlil Saunders (RSo.), Keeshawn Silver (RSo.), Deone Walker (So.), Tavion Gadson (Fr.), Kendrick Gilbert (Fr.), Tommy Ziesmer (Fr.)

— EDGE (5): J.J. Weaver (RSr.), Keaten Wade (So.), Tyreese Fearbry (RFr.), Noah Matthews (RFr.), Grant Godfrey (Fr.)

— LB (6): Luke Fulton (RSr.), Daveren Rayner (Sr.), D’Eryk Jackson (RJr.), Martez Thrower (Jr.), Trevin Wallace (Jr.), Jayvant Brown (Fr.)

— CB (8): Andru Phillips (RJr.), Jantzen Dunn (RSo.), Maxwell Hairston (RSo.), Jordan Robinson (RSo.), JQ Hardaway (So.), Elijah Reed (RFr.), Nasir Addison (Fr.), Avery Stuart (Fr.)

— S (6): Jalen Geiger (RSr.), Zion Childress (Sr.), Jordan Lovett (RSo.), Alex Afari (So.), Jaremiah Anglin (Fr.), Ty Bryant (Fr.)

— Defense: 36

— Specialists (5): Chance Poore (Super), Ron Gaines (Grad), Alex Raynor (RSr.) Wilson Berry (RSo.), Jackson Smith (RFr.)

— Total: 79