These Kentucky football players are entering the transfer portal after 2024 struggles

Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops seemed to lay the groundwork for significant losses in the transfer portal for his program this winter in the immediate aftermath of the season-ending loss to Louisville.

“Let’s be honest, there’s going to be a surprise,” Stoops said during his postgame radio interview with play-by-play man Tom Leach. “Again, we won’t flinch. It’s not like we’re going to like it or anything if you lose somebody you don’t want to, but it’s not the end-all, be-all. There’s ways to replace everybody.”

That prediction did not take long to come true as news broke just three days after the Louisville game that nose guard Keeshawn Silver planned to enter the portal. The next day, star wide receiver Dane Key announced he was transferring, just hours after Stoops told fans “not to panic” about coming portal news at his signing day news conference.

The bulk of UK’s transfer losses are expected to be from a group of younger players buried on the depth chart who the staff encourages to look elsewhere for more playing time, as has been the case since the advent of the transfer portal. Before this offseason, Kentucky had lost just one starter to the portal (nose guard Justin Rogers, who Silver was recruited to replace).

You can bookmark this page to follow all the outgoing transfers throughout the offseason. The winter window for players to enter the portal runs from Dec. 9 to 28. A second 10-day window after spring practice will run from April 16 to 25.

Kentucky football transfer losses

WR Hardley Gilmore (Nebraska)

After losing Key and Barion Brown to the portal, it looked like Gilmore was going to step into a starting role in 2025. UK coaches raved about his potential throughout his freshman season despite him missing the first half due to injury and were not shy about hyping him as a key piece for the future of the offense. It came as a surprise then when news broke that Gilmore was entering the transfer portal on the final day of the December window. While there was early buzz Gilmore might return to UK after he entered the portal, he ended up following Key and former wide receivers coach Dakiel Shorts to Nebraska.

C Koby Keenum (Mississippi State)

Not too long ago Keenum, a former four-star recruit, was viewed as Kentucky’s center of the future, but UK coaches made it clear down the stretch of the 2024 season they would be looking to the transfer portal to sign a replacement for starting center Eli Cox. That left Keenum looking at a backup role with consistent snaps unlikely for 2025 had he returned to UK. He was not among the initial wave of UK players to enter the portal, but he did so shortly before former WKU center Evan Wibberley was scheduled to take his official visit to Kentucky. On Dec. 22, Keenum committed to Mississippi State.

OL Dylan Ray (Minnesota)

Ray vastly exceeded expectations in two years as a Wildcat after arriving as a walk-on transfer from West Virginia prior to the 2023 season. He played in every game across two seasons, making 12 starts. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Ray played both tackle and guard at Kentucky but was more productive at guard. Stoops mentioned him as a likely 2025 contributor before the season finale, but Ray elected to enter the portal on Dec. 18 after UK added three offensive line transfers, including a new starting guard who could have cut into his playing time. On Dec. 21, Ray committed to Minnesota.

WR Brandon White (Hawaii)

Since arriving on campus in 2022, White has been considered one of the fastest players on the roster, but it was always going to be a long shot that he could handle SEC competition at 5-foot-9, 167 pounds. He ended up playing in six games across three seasons at UK without a catch. He did return one kickoff in 2024, but lost a fumble on that play in the blowout win over Murray State. On Dec. 28, White committed to Hawaii, following the path former UK wide receiver Dekel Crowdus took in the transfer portal a year ago.

QB Gavin Wimsatt (Jacksonville State)

Kentucky had a clear plan to use Wimsatt as a run-first backup in wildcat packages after he transferred to UK from Rutgers, but it was always likely to be a one-year arrangement if he did not win the starting job. The decision to start Cutter Boley in the finale against Louisville was a clear sign that Wimsatt would need to transfer if he wants to start in his final season of eligibility. Why Wimsatt has proven to be a limited passer at both Rutgers and Kentucky, his loss is a blow to quarterback depth. With former starter Brock Vandagriff not expected to return in 2025, Kentucky will need to find a veteran to compete with Boley in the transfer portal. On Jan. 6, Wimsatt announced he had committed to Jacksonville State.

RB Chip Trayanum (Toledo)

Despite Stoops saying on signing day Trayanum wanted to return to UK, the former Ohio State transfer was reported to have entered the portal on the first day of the December window. If he does in fact transfer, Trayanum would leave UK with just 19 carries for 101 yards in three games in an injury riddled season. Even after Trayanum did return to the field, he was third on UK’s depth chart and would not have been guaranteed a major role in 2025 if younger running backs Jamarion Wilcox and Jason Patterson both return to UK. Trayanum signed with Toledo on Dec. 24, meaning he will play against Kentucky in the 2025 opener.

OLB Caleb Redd (Kansas)

The exodus among Kentucky’s backup edge rushers continued on the first day the portal was officially opened to nongraduates with Redd’s departure. A former three-star recruit, Redd appeared in two games as a freshman in 2024 while redshirting. His departure leaves just three scholarship outside linebackers on the roster entering the December transfer window. On Dec. 20, Redd committed to Kansas.

OLB Noah Matthews (Delaware)

The rare recruit to sign with Kentucky from Delaware, Matthews moved into the outside linebacker rotation in his third season on campus in 2024 but finished the year with just seven tackles and one tackle for loss in 12 games. He likely would have had the chance for a larger role in 2025, but Kentucky is expected to pursue a starting caliber edge rusher in the transfer portal and Matthews faced increased competition from younger defenders on the roster. On Jan. 7, Delaware announced Matthews had signed with his home-state school.

OLB Tyreese Fearbry (Wisconsin)

One of the crown jewels of Kentucky’s 2022 recruiting class, Fearbry was a two-year contributor as a reserve outside linebacker but was unable to seize the opportunity for the larger role UK coaches appeared to be positioning him for. He finishes his UK career with 21 tackles and one tackle for loss in 27 games across three seasons. Fearbry was in position to compete for a starting outside linebacker spot in 2025, but given his inconsistent production to date it was likely UK was going to recruit a transfer to start at that position even if he had stayed. On Dec. 22, Fearbry committed to Wisconsin)

OL Ben Christman (UNLV)

A former four-star recruit, Christman transferred from Ohio State to UK prior to the 2023 season after playing in just one game across two years in Columbus. Christman then missed the entire 2023 season with a knee injury. After returning from the injury, he failed to break into the rotation on a struggling UK offensive line in 2024 but did play in every game on special teams as a blocker for the field goal unit. On Dec. 27, Christman signed with UNLV.

TE Jordan Dingle (South Carolina)

It turned out to be a telling omission when tight ends coach Vince Marrow did not list Dingle on the list of options at the position for 2025 during his signing day news conference. Less than 24 hours later news broke that Dingle was entering the transfer portal. Considering Dingle entered the portal last winter then elected to return to UK only to see his role in the passing game all but disappear, his departure is not a surprise. In four years at UK, Dingle caught 43 passes for 615 yards and four touchdowns. Now he will hope for a breakout season at one of UK’s SEC rivals after committing to South Carolina on Dec. 18.

WR Barion Brown (LSU)

The third starter to announce plans to enter the portal, Brown’s departure comes after two offseasons of UK reportedly fending off interest from powerhouse programs to keep him in Lexington. While Brown is among the fastest players in the country, his production as a receiver actually decreased in every season at UK. He remained an elite kickoff returner though, tying the SEC record with five kickoff returns for touchdowns. On Dec. 15, Brown signed with LSU.

WR Anthony Brown-Stephens (Tulane)

UK lost its third wide receiver in two days to the portal with Brown-Stephens deciding to follow Key and Brown in transferring. Best known as the nephew of Grammy winner John Legend, Brown-Stephens finishes his UK career with 10 catches for 121 yards and three touchdowns in 25 games. He was an important depth piece for UK as a sophomore but struggled to find touches in an offense that did not even find enough success to keep all the starting receivers consistently involved. The highlight of Brown-Stephens UK career might have been the concert his uncle held for the program’s NIL collective donors in Lexington. On Jan. 7, Brown-Stephens committed to play for former UK coach and player Jon Sumrall at Tulane.

LB Jayvant Brown

Brown played in 11 games as a freshman in 2023, primarily on special teams but was able to redshirt in 2024 when he was limited to four games in part due to an injury. Brown was listed as a backup inside linebacker on UK’s depth chart but was credited with just one tackle on the season. That position was already likely on UK’s transfer portal needs list, and while Brown was unlikely to be counted on as a key contributor next season his departure does hurt depth there.

WR Dane Key (Nebraska)

Stoops was clearly prepping fans for Key’s departure when he warned there would be players the staff wanted to stay entering the portal. Despite UK’s anemic passing attack and playing one fewer game than his freshman and sophomore seasons, Key established career highs in catches (47) and receiving yards (715) as a junior. He leaves UK ranked fifth on Kentucky’s career receiving yards list (1,870) and would have had a chance to break Craig Yeast’s career record (2,899) had he returned for his senior season. The Lexington native will likely have transfer interest from top programs around the country. On Christmas Eve, Key committed to Nebraska, following his former UK position coach Dakiel Shorts to play for the Cornhuskers.

DL Tommy Ziesmer (Eastern Kentucky)

A former Boyle County High School star, Ziesmer played six games across two seasons at UK, totaling four tackles and one sack. With three years of eligibility remaining, Ziesmer was an obvious candidate to transfer to a smaller program where he can see the field more quickly. On Dec. 15, he committed to EKU.

TE Khamari Anderson (Arizona State)

UK coaches were high on Anderson’s potential as an athletic tight end who could split wide when needed, but he caught just five passes for 29 yards as a sophomore in 2024. While freshman Willie Rodriguez’s emergence down the stretch cast more doubt on Anderson’s 2025 role, he still represented a high-upside option the offense could use moving forward. Depth has quickly gone from a strength to a question mark at tight end. On Dec. 22, Anderson committed to Arizona State.

OT Courtland Ford (UCLA)

A former transfer from USC, Ford started two games at right tackle in 2023 while appearing in every other game as a backup lineman, but he missed most of the 2024 season with a hand injury. Even after he returned to the field, Ford did not play much on a struggling offensive line in desperate need of help at tackle. By appearing in only three games, Ford preserved a year of eligibility, allowing him to use his 2020 pandemic waiver to keep playing in 2025. On Dec. 17, Ford announced he would play his final season at UCLA.

TE Tanner Lemaster (Eastern Michigan)

A former three-star recruit, Lemaster appeared in just one game in two seasons at UK. His departure was one of the more predictable transfers on the roster since he was fifth on the depth chart at his position and one of the Wildcats’ best 2025 high school signees also plays tight end. On Dec. 23, Lemaster committed to Eastern Michigan.

NG Keeshawn Silver (USC)

In two years at Kentucky after transferring from North Carolina, the former five-star recruit totaled 43 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack while starting 23 of 24 games played at nose guard. At 6-foot-4, 336 pounds, Silver provided an imposing presence at the heart of UK’s defensive line, playing alongside possible 2025 first round NFL draft pick Deone Walker. His importance to UK was increased in 2024 when a rash of injuries decimated depth at nose guard during spring practice. On Dec. 19, Silver committed to Southern Cal.

DB Avery Stuart (Ball State)

One of the highest-rated signees in Kentucky’s 2023 high school recruiting class, Stuart appeared in just three games across two seasons in Lexington without recording any statistics. The 6-foot-2, 196-pound Alabama native will probably look to move down a level in search of more playing time after failing to crack Kentucky’s two-deep despite numerous injuries in the secondary in 2024. ON Jan. 5, Stuart committed to Ball State.

LS Walker Himebauch (Colorado State)

The rare walk-on to play immediately as a freshman, Himebauch played in every game in his first season on campus as the short snapper for field goals and extra points. He took over long-snapping duties on punts that season for the final nine games after a season-ending injury to the starter there. Himebauch was passed on the depth chart by North Carolina State transfer Alex McLaughlin to open the 2024 season, but he regained his job on the field goal team for the final five games after three consecutive kicks failed due to a flubbed snap or hold. On Dec. 22, Himebauch committed to Colorado State.

This story was originally published December 3, 2024 at 4:18 PM.

Jon Hale

Lexington Herald-Leader

(859) 414-6776

Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He joined the Herald-Leader in 2022 but has covered UK athletics for more than 10 years. Hale was named the 2021 Kentucky Sportswriter of the Year. Support my work with a digital subscription