Kentucky Transfer Portal Target Signs with Another SEC School

by:Nick Roush•01/13/25•

RoushKSR

Oct 5, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack cornerback Tamarcus Cooley (15) runs out prior to the first half of the game against Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

One of the final players on the Kentucky transfer portal big board has decided to play for another SEC school.

Over the weekend, Tamarcus Cooley was in Lexington for an official visit. Kentucky was the final destination on his free agency tour, following trips to Ole Miss, Missouri, and LSU. Instead of rocking Kentucky Blue, he’s calling Baton Rouge.

On3’s Pete Nakos reports Cooley has signed to play at LSU for Brian Kelly. It will be the talented defensive back’s third school in three years after starting his career at Maryland. He had a breakthrough season in 2024 for N.C. State, tallying 39 tackles, 6 pass deflections, 3 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles.

Cooley had company on his official visit to Kentucky. His older brother, Trey Cooley, is looking for his third school in five years. He started his career at Louisville, then spent the last two years at Georgia Tech. The running back has one year of eligibility remaining. As Adam Luckett detailed in this morning’s Bio Blast, the veteran has over 1,000 rushing yards in the ACC.

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It looked like Kentucky had a shot to secure a package deal. Without Tamarcus in the fold, it’s unclear how it will impact Trey’s decision. Kentucky already secured one portal commitment from a running back, Nebraska’s Dante Dowdell, and Jamarion Wilcox is poised to receive a significant amount of carries. It shouldn’t take too long for Big Blue Nation to learn if the older Cooley brother is willing to share carries next fall in Lexington.

UK Tight End Target to Arkansas

It felt a bit out of place when Rohan Jones shared that he received an offer from Kentucky. It’s not that the Montana State flex tight end couldn’t play at UK. He caught 30 passes for 490 yards and nine touchdowns last season. The Canadian entered the transfer portal late, making it an expedited process. Kentucky already had one tight end signed out of 18 players. Did they have enough resources to prioritize this player and make a quick move? The answer was no. Jones signed with Arkansas on Sunday, ending his brief 48-hour stint in the portal.

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