Transfer brings depth, and some baggage, to Kentucky’s linebacker room
The University of Kentucky has added another veteran linebacker to its roster.
Luke Fulton, a sophomore-to-be from Michigan State, has signed with UK and could be immediately eligible this fall if the NCAA passes proposed legislation that would allow all first-time transfers to play right away at their destination school.
Fulton, an inside linebacker, is a native of Youngstown, Ohio, who attended Cardinal Mooney High School, the same school from which head coach Mark Stoops and recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow graduated. He was a three-star recruit coming out of high school and was considered a top-20 player in the state of Ohio.
He also arrives with baggage. Fulton in October was suspended from Michigan State’s program following an assault charge in September. Fulton was charged with a misdemeanor aggravated assault and was not a full participant in the Spartans’ fall camp ahead of the 2020 season. He did not play for Michigan State last season after contributing on special teams in 2019, a redshirt year.
“I’ve known Luke for a long time and watched him play for a long time,” Stoops said in a news release. “We’re grateful to add him to our program and the contributions he will bring at inside linebacker.”
Counting the possibility of an additional year of eligibility due to the NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver, Fulton could play up to four years at Kentucky.
The passing of new NCAA legislation would be a boon for Kentucky’s linebacker room next season. In addition to Fulton, Georgia Tech transfer Justice Dingle is an experienced college player who can provide depth at a position that was thin last season and has only grown thinner with the early departure of Jamin Davis for the NFL Draft. Dingle was listed as an outside linebacker in the early signing period, but UK’s staff in the past has shown a willingness to move guys around as needed.
Kentucky returns DeAndre Square, a two-year starter who will be a senior this fall, but two starts made by Marquez Bembry last year are the only other ones remaining among the four remaining scholarship linebackers on the roster. Two of those players — Torrance Davis and D’Eryk Jackson — were true freshmen last season and Jared Casey, who’s played in 14 games since coming to campus in 2019, will be a sophomore. UK signed one high school freshman, Martez Thrower, in the early signing period.
The Wildcats also signed a four-star prospect at linebacker, Trevin Wallace, on Wednesday.
This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 9:33 AM.
