Former Kentucky OL Kiyaunta Goodwin transfers to Florida

Kiyaunta Goodwin has a new home in the SEC East. The Florida Gators just announced that the former Kentucky offensive tackle is transferring to Gainesville. Goodwin, a former Top 100 recruit, entered the transfer portal on Dec. 16 after one season at Kentucky. He visited Florida this past weekend and was also considering Louisville and a return to Lexington, but in the end, went with the Gators.

A Louisville native, Kiyaunta Goodwin was a five-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, ranked as high as the No. 13 player overall by 247 Sports when he signed with Kentucky in December 2021. He was a high school All-American that appeared in every game in 2022 for Kentucky, but only sparingly in a reserve role and on special teams.

You undoubtedly remember Goodwin’s recruitment. First offered by Vince Marrow as a seventh-grader, Goodwin shot to stardom due to his massive size. Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Texas A&M were interested, but Kentucky won out, holding off a late push by Mel Tucker’s Spartans on a very dramatic Signing Day.

Despite that high-profile recruitment, we didn’t hear much about Goodwin’s progress and development in Lexington. Even though Kentucky’s offensive line struggled, he never saw significant time. In November, Mark Stoops explained the staff’s decision not to redshirt him.

“We just felt like there would be a time when he would be ready to play. So, we want to continue to get him ready,” Stoops said after the Wildcats’ win over Missouri. “We were moments from putting him in there Saturday. You feel a guy like that is definitely going to be what you want him to be and if they are, they’re not going to be here for five years anyway.”

Best of look to Goodwin at Florida — except when they play the Cats.