Where UK football’s offensive line stands after Jalen Farmer declares for draft
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky must replace its entire 2025 starting offensive line after Farmer.
- Depth sheet shows little returning experience and limited proven backups.
- Staff must weigh portal acquisitions or internal development while managing budget.
Will Stein will need to replace Kentucky football’s entire starting offensive line from 2025 in his first offseason as coach.
Right guard Jalen Farmer, the only Wildcat starter on the line with remaining eligibility, announced Wednesday he was declaring for the NFL draft.
Farmer started every game in two seasons at Kentucky after transferring from Florida. He was one of the most improved players on the roster in 2025. Keeping him from the transfer portal was believed to be a top priority for whoever Kentucky’s coach was next season, but instead of considering overtures from traditional powers for his final season of eligibility, Farmer will jump straight to the NFL.
“The way he plays, he’s very powerful, and he plays with a lot of intensity, brings a lot of intensity to that line,” former UK coach Mark Stoops said of Farmer during the season. “He’s been a great teammate and a very good leader.”
With Farmer headed to the NFL, Kentucky has almost no returning experience from the 2025 offensive line. Former offensive line coach Eric Wolford rarely rotated the unit, which managed to stay healthy for the entire season.
Backup left tackle Malachi Wood started five games in 2024 but was used primarily as a blocking tight end in run-heavy formations. Backup center Evan Wibberley started at Western Kentucky in 2024 but appeared in just four games in his first year at Kentucky after losing the competition for the starting job in preseason camp.
UK’s top returning offensive guards are redshirt freshman Aba Selm, who missed much of 2025 with an injury, and freshman Jay Clark, who redshirted in his first year on campus.
“There are good young players who maybe didn’t have the reps on the field, but there’s other ways to make those evaluations and make great decisions, and then act on those decisions,” new UK offensive coordinator Joe Sloan said Wednesday before Farmer’s announcement when asked about evaluating the offensive line.
With offensive linemen among the most expensive transfer targets, the new staff will need to quickly decide if any of the returning backups are ready for featured roles. Pursuing five starters in the portal would likely affect Kentucky’s ability to afford impact transfers at other positions.
UK has already been linked to one potential offensive line transfer.
LSU tackle Carius Curne, who started five games as a freshman, is expected to be pursued by Kentucky, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Georgia, according to On3. Curne played for Sloan last season.
Farmer is the highest-profile departure from UK’s roster since Stoops was fired. Pass-rush specialist Steven Soles, backup linebacker Landyn Watson and fifth-string quarterback Stone Saunders have been reported to be entering the transfer portal.