What the Tight End Transfer Portal Commitment tells us about the Kentucky Offense

“It’s not personal, it’s personnel.” Applying Freddie Maggard’s favorite turn of phrase to the 2025 Kentucky football team means you’re going to see a lot of tight ends, but not necessarily tight ends catching passes.

Kentucky made light work of its roster build during the spring transfer portal window. There were three early priorities targeted and acquired: running back Seth McGowan, and two de facto returners, WR Hardley Gilmore and EDGE Lorenzo Cowan. Any additions that followed should simply be considered an extra scoop of gravy on the taters.

The Cats kicked the tires on a few offensive linemen and even more wide receivers. There were a few visitors who ultimately decided to play elsewhere. Things appeared to be slowing down, with one exception, tight end.

Allow me to be candid: It felt like every weekend, there was a new player we hadn’t heard of before posing for a picture with Vince Marrow on campus. Finally, one of those players committed to Kentucky. On Monday morning, we learned that Dayton native Elijah Brown will be a Wildcat.

Kentucky Needed Depth to Play a Certain Way

Kentucky now has five tight ends on its depth chart. One is a true freshman who is more of a receiver than a blocker. The two returners are traditional split-end tight ends who have room to grow in the run game.

To get the offense to where the coaches feel it needs to be, Kentucky went to the transfer portal to get two veteran tight ends with four career receptions. What does this mean? You can use a Sharpie to connect these dots.

If you a TE, why wouldn’t you come be about it and play for @vincemarrow in the SEC? #BBN 🔵⚪️🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/BBYlcat6P8

— Josh Estes-Waugh (@jcesteswaugh) April 24, 2025

Kentucky ran 12 personnel (two tight end sets) on 44.1% of their offensive snaps, yet the tight end position only accounted for 14.9% of the team’s receptions in 2024.

It’s hard to tell exactly what offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan wants to do with his offense for a myriad of reasons, but one thing is abundantly clear. Kentucky is building an offense that wants to run the ball in two tight-end sets. Will that be enough offensive firepower to win in the SEC with one of the most difficult schedules in college football? Fingers crossed.

Got thoughts? Continue the conversation on KSBoard, the KSR Message Board.