Player Comp: An Important Role Fred Farrier May Fit for Kentucky

Kentucky added more than a dozen transfers this offseason, including three to the wide receiver room. On more than one occasion I mistakenly stated the Cats only added two. Allow this to serve as my formal apology to Fred Farrier.

To be fair, Farrier was not the name that moved the needle throughout the fast-flying weeks of the December transfer portal period.

Raymond Cottrell was a former four-star talent from Texas A&M who was not shy on social media about his affection for the Wildcats. He transferred to West Florida after only one semester in Lexington. Ja’Mori Maclin cultivated an impressive resume last fall at North Texas, making him one of the most coveted wide receivers in the portal. He caught five passes for 50+ yards and seven for 40+, all while scoring 11 touchdowns and surpassing the 1,000-yard milestone.

His peers, and the returning talent already on the roster, gave us a reason to overlook Fred Farrier, but that was a mistake.

Consistency is Key for Kentucky Pass Catchers

The former Franklin County Flyer did not have flashy numbers before returning to his Old Kentucky Home. Over the last two seasons at UAB, he played in every game for the Blazers, but never surpassed 20 receptions in a season. He has two touchdowns and 389 yards to his name, and they happened against foes from the AAC.

His past production does not create enormous statistical projections, but Kentucky doesn’t need that. They need someone Brock Vandagriff can rely on in a pinch.

Maclin, Barion Brown, and Dane Key will stuff the stat sheet. You might forget about Farrier until you see No. 13 show up in a big moment.

Throughout fall camp, Farrier has been a Steady Eddie. The one thing that has plagued the wide receiver room throughout the Stoops era is consistency. That’s the thing Farrier has brought to the table.

You gotta be tricky with player comps. There’s also a pension for fans to take the low-hanging fruit (i.e. Travis Perry and Reed Sheppard) even if it does not apply.

Fred Farrier is going to be this team’s David Bouvier. The former walk-on only caught 16 passes in 2018, but you can remember two of them. One was on the final drive that kept Kentucky’s comeback hopes alive at Missouri. The other was an ad-ib touchdown on a scramble drill that gave Kentucky a 7-0 lead in The Swamp, paving the way for the Wildcats’ first win over the Gators in three decades.

You probably will not see No. 13 filling up the box score on a regular basis, but Fred Farrier is going to receive quite a few snaps in the thin wide receiver room. One day an important opportunity will arise and he’s going to make the most out of it. If you believe in quality over quantity, you’re going to remember a few Fred Farrier moments in 2024.

Hear from Fred Farrier

Before he officially represents his Old Kentucky Home in next week’s season opener at Kroger Field, the Frankfort native received a little one-on-one spotlight from BBN Tonight. Farrier spoke to Keith Farmer about his love for the Wildcats and why he’s optimistic ahead of the 2024 campaign.

The Bluegrass is familiar territory for Fred Farrier II, but the SEC is a whole new ballgame 🏈

Watch @KeithFarmer18's full interview with the junior wide receiver tonight at 7:30 on @LEX18News pic.twitter.com/5f4KG0054y

— BBN Tonight (@BBNTonight) August 15, 2024

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