These four freshmen could be early contributors for Kentucky football in 2025
With the addition of more than 20 transfers to the 2025 roster, the majority of holes on the Kentucky football depth chart entering the offseason will be filled by newcomers with college experience.
But Kentucky coach Mark Stoops made it clear a year ago that transfer portal additions will not prevent freshmen who prove ready to contribute from playing. If anything, the fact that coaches can no longer assume a high school recruit will stick around long enough to make use of the development that can come from a redshirt season means freshmen are more likely to contribute on special teams and as backups than before the advent of the transfer portal.
In 2024, Kentucky played nine freshmen in at least five games, eliminating their ability to redshirt. Two other freshmen (quarterback Cutter Boley and running back Jason Patterson) played featured roles at some point in the season while staying within the four-game threshold that preserved their redshirts.
Of the nine freshmen who played in five or more games (Cam Dooley, Hardley Gilmore, Terhyon Nichols, Willie Rodriguez, Antwan Smith, Jerod Smith, Steven Soles and David Washington), only Rodriguez started more than one game. The 2025 high school class appears in line for a similar set of roles with no obvious candidates to start over the numerous veterans at their positions, at least early in the season.
Still, fans can be certain that multiple members of the freshman class will contribute at some point in 2025. Here is a look at four freshmen already generating buzz in preseason practice.
Martels Carter
The former Paducah Tilghman High School star was the second-highest rated signee in UK’s 2025 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He wasted little time proving worthy of early snaps, immediately jumping onto the two-deep depth chart as a backup safety during spring practice after enrolling in January.
“He’s doing good,” UK coach Mark Stoops said when asked about Carter after the first scrimmage of preseason camp. “He’s still learning — he’s got a lot to learn — but getting better and getting a lot of reps.”
The fact that safety was the only position on offense or defense where Kentucky did not add a transfer speaks to the confidence coaches have in returning starters Ty Bryant and Jordan Lovett, but it also is an acknowledgement the staff did not want to block Carter’s path to the field. Even if he has to wait his turn to start, Carter should play extensively on special teams to open the season.
DJ Miller
No UK freshman has garnered more early praise than Miller, who sixth-year senior quarterback Zach Calzada called the best freshman wide receiver he’d ever seen. Miller has flashed big-play potential since arriving on campus in January and should be part of the initial wide receiver rotation if healthy.
“He does everything right,” Calzada said. “He comes in, he’s where he’s supposed to be, when he’s supposed to be there, and he just goes to work.”
Miller was held out of action from UK’s first preseason scrimmage, but Stoops has given no indication there are any long-term injury concerns among the players expected to contribute early in the season. At 6-foot-3, 204 pounds, Miller brings needed size to the receiver rotation. He will have to compete with veterans Ja’Mori Maclin, Hardley Gilmore, J.J. Hester and Fred Farrier for snaps at the outside receiver spots, but at a position expected to feature a committee approach it will be difficult to ignore Miller’s potential to emerge as a star.
Montavin Quisenberry
Followers of Kentucky high school football are well aware of the talents of 2024 Mr. Football Montavin Quisenberry, but he was met with a new round of doubts after arriving on campus due to his diminutive size. Listed at a generous 5-foot-10, Quisenberry does not look like an SEC-level receiver.
But in each of the four practices open to reporters since Quisenberry arrived at UK in January, the former Boyle County High School star has made multiple impressive plays.
“Heart of a lion,” wide receivers coach L’Damian Washington said of Quisenberry. “He’s a football player, point-blank period. You go out and you can recruit, and you can go measurables, and you can go running this 40(-yard dash) and that 40. The name of the game is football.
“Is he a football player? Yes, he checks that box. He’s a football player.”
With Alabama transfer Kendrick Law, UK’s projected starter at slot receiver, slowed by an injury early in camp, Quisenberry has received extended opportunities in practice. Assuming Law is healthy by the season opener, Quisenberry likely will be no higher than third on the depth chart behind him and Clemson transfer Troy Stellato, but it would be foolish at this point to count him out from contributing.
Darrin Strey
Of the players on this list, Strey is the most likely to stay under the four-game threshold for a redshirt season. That outcome might be the best-case scenario for his development and the overall health of Kentucky’s offensive line.
But the 6-foot-7, 322-pound Strey opened camp as Kentucky’s fourth offensive tackle, meaning the staff will prepare him to play if needed.
“Hopefully through a three-man rotation until he comes along,” Stoops said at the start of camp.
New Mexico State transfer Shiyazh Pete and Bowling Green transfer Alex Wollschlaeger are expected to start at left and right tackle respectively. Sophomore Malachi Wood will back up both spots after being thrown into the fire as a redshirt freshman last season after a season-ending injury to starting right tackle Gerald Mincey.
If Pete, Wollschlaeger and Wood are healthy and productive throughout the season, that’s a good sign for Kentucky. The staff needs to develop some continuity on the line though, and Strey proving ready to contribute at some point this year would decrease the pressure to add more transfers at one of the most coveted positions in the portal in December.
Other freshmen to watch: DL Kalen Edwards, WR Cameron Miller, CB Andrew Purcell, TE Mikkel Skinner, OLB Cedric Works.
This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 6:00 AM.