Kentucky transfer portal update

During the offseason, Kentucky has landed five players from the transfer portal that will make an impact on the 2021 roster. Grabbing each from a Power Five program, the thought process is that the football team could add some instant contributors.

However, the transfer portal is a two-way street.

Since the end of last season, Kentucky has seen nine scholarship players enter the portal as the student-athletes look for a new home to continue their college football careers. Some have found new schools while others are still free agents.

Consider this your transfer portal tracker as KSR catches you up to speed on where the former Wildcats stand in college football’s waiver wire.

New homes

Terry Wilson: The former junior college transfer started 25 games in his three seasons in Lexington collecting a 17-8 record as a starter. The Oklahoma City native became the first player in school history to finish with at least 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. However, the time came for a change and Wilson decided to use his extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 season.

Welcome to the Lobo family, Terry Wilson!#GoLobos | #Win5
Story: https://t.co/hth2y5QYxL pic.twitter.com/MjmyS8ZRNI

— New Mexico Football (@UNMLoboFB) March 30, 2021

At the end of March, Wilson landed at New Mexico to play for second-year head coach Danny Gonzales in the Mountain West for his super senior season. The dual-threat quarterback will immediately compete for the starting quarterback position playing for a program that is in the middle of a rebuild.

MJ Devonshire: A top-500 prospect in the class of 2019, Devonshire was a major recruiting win for Kentucky. The Wildcats went head-to-head with in-state program Pittsburgh and landed the high-profile defensive back. However, Devonshire decided to leave Lexington after just two seasons. The Aliquippa, Pa., native ended up back at Pitt where he will compete for playing time in a re-tooling secondary.

Jamari Brown: The South Florida native played in 15 games for Kentucky over the past two seasons with three starts. Brown recorded 25 tackles and seven pass breakups in 2019 but was hampered by a hamstring injury this past season. Despite the Wildcats losing two starting cornerbacks, the class of 2018 signee decided to move on.

Purdue quickly picked up the 6-foot-1 defensive back as the Boilermakers need cornerback help as while making the transition to a new defensive coordinator. Don’t be surprised if Brown becomes a full-time starter in the Big Ten.

Akeem Hayes: One of many South Florida products that have left the roster, Hayes entered the portal after three seasons in Lexington. At 5-foot-8, the slot receiver made some plays in 2020 recording four receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown in the first two weeks before disappearing from the rotation.

https://twitter.com/_Akeemhayes/status/1390759136317648897?s=20

Hayes became the latest departure to find a new home as he’ll join Butch Jones at Arkansas State. The Red Wolves return one of the top quarterbacks in the Sun Belt but need receiver help. A role could be there for Hayes to contribute early in Jonesboro.

Free agents

Allen Dailey Jr.: After three seasons where Dailey played in 37 games with 13 starts, the 6-foot-3 receiver is looking for a new home. The Pinson (Ala.) Valley product was high school teammates with Auburn quarterback Bo Nix where he caught 80 passes and 23 touchdowns in his last year of high school. Dailey should have plenty of quality suitors interested in his services.

Bryce Oliver: Another South Florida product, Oliver spent three seasons in Lexington playing in 18 games. The 6-foot-1 receiver had eight catches for 125 yards in his career. The former low three-star recruit had a very hard time staying healthy while on campus dealing with injuries the last two seasons.

Nik Ognenovic: Once again, another player from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has moved on from the program. Ogenenovic spent two years in Lexington but found himself in a loaded tight end room. At 6-foot-5 and 249 pounds, the former mid three-star recruit should find someone that is intrigued by the traits he brings to the table.

Nick Lewis: The high school teammate of Mac Jones at Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School, Lewis spent three seasons in Lexington before entering the portal. The former Washington State commit lost a ton of weight at Kentucky and now sits at 320 pounds of a 6-foot-9 frame. Lewis appears to be a very attractive left tackle prospect with multiple years of eligibility remaining.

Jerquavion Mahone: Yet another member of the class of 2018 to enter the portal this offseason, Mahone played in nine games over the last two seasons. The South Georgia product has solid size — 6-foot-3, 295 pounds — and could be an attractive interior defensive line player for many programs.