Marques Cox the key to Kentucky's season? National analysts believe so

There’s no sugar-coating it: Kentucky’s offensive line struggled last year. The Big Blue Wall’s woes were so bad that Freddie Maggard refuses to use the nickname until the unit earns it. On paper, at least, the staff is making the right moves to improve the line heading into a pivotal 2023 season.

Kenneth Horsey returns for a super-senior season to lead the unit and will move back to left guard. Jager Burton is taking over at center, allowing Eli Cox to move to his natural spot at right guard. The staff went to the transfer portal to plug the other spots. Courtland Ford (USC) could take over the starting right tackle spot. Marques Cox (Northern Illinois) started at left tackle during the spring after enrolling mid-year. Tanner Bowles (Alabama) will return to his home state and provides versatility.

As we count down until the season-opener (58 days), college football experts are sharing their thoughts on Kentucky; Cox’s name keeps coming up. Cole Cubelic believes Cox is the most important transfer on Kentucky’s roster outside of Devin Leary because of how crucial Leary’s health is to the 2023 season.

“We talk a lot about Devin Leary and he’s a better quarterback than a lot of SEC fans understand,” Cubelic said Cube Show. “For Kentucky to have a good year this year, he needs to be upright.”

“The bang for your buck that [Vanderbilt transfer running back] Ray Davis brings in is fantastic but I cannot allow him to be the most important transfer coming in because Marques Cox comes in from Nothern Illinois and you know what, if you want to go Courtland Ford from USC at the other tackle, that’s fine, I think Cox is a more ready-made tackle right now, especially for what they’re going to be asked to do. He’s a little more athletic east and west. You’ve got to keep your quarterback upright, man. They’ve got to have Devin Leary playing football.”

With what Cubelic believes is the best wide receiving room in the history of the program, Kentucky’s success on offense will be decided by the line.

“I think the receiving corps is talented enough with a good quarterback if the offensive line is just C+, B- to make Liam Coen’s offense go. Therefore it can’t be Ray Davis for me and I love the kid but it’s got to be Marques Cox because he is the most ready, the most athletic, right now to come in and help and offensive line that was absolutely porous a year ago.”

You can hear Cubelic’s remarks on Cox starting around the 19:30 mark.

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More national praise for Marques Cox

Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, had similar praise for Cox, who is on his short list of the top transfer portal offensive line prospects this season.

“Kentucky’s O-line received plenty of criticism last spring during Will Levis’ pre-draft process but
the Senior Bowl expects a bounce-back year from Big Blue Wall, mainly due to the arrival of Northern Illinois sleeper transfer Marques Cox,” Nagy said in a lengthy tweet.

“After grading every rising senior OL, Cox is on the short list of best portal acquisition big men in this year’s class and it wouldn’t surprise us if he ends up in the Top 100 range by next April’s draft. @MonsterMarq (elite handle!), who started 33 games at NIU yet inexplicably was never named All-MAC, has excellent length (35 1/4 arm, 82 7/8 wing) and he’ll no doubt be a significant upgrade in pass pro for UK. Pro Football Focus credits him with only 3 career sacks allowed.”

.@UKFootball O-line received plenty criticism last spring during Will Levis’ pre-draft process but @seniorbowl expects bounce back year from Big Blue Wall, mainly due to arrival of Northern Illinois sleeper transfer Marques Cox.

After grading every rising senior OL, Cox is on… pic.twitter.com/AjZVSukIro

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) July 5, 2023

Connor O’Gara of Saturday Down South shared Nagy’s tweet with some rave reviews of his own, going as far as to say that Cox could be the key to Kentucky finishing second in the SEC East race.

“I’ve heard similar, extremely encouraging things about the arrival of Cox on that Kentucky OL. Could have a massive say in who finishes No. 2 in the East.”

File this under “Things you love to hear with under 60 days until the season.”

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