The latest on UK football transfer class after Will Stein’s first portal weekend
Will Stein picked up his first transfer commitments as Kentucky football coach during a busy first weekend after the transfer portal opened.
But it is the high-profile transfers the Wildcats hosted who have yet to pick a new school still drawing the most attention.
That group is led by Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, the No. 1-ranked player in the portal, according to 247Sports. Leavitt took his first recruiting visit to Kentucky and spent much of the weekend with Stein and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan.
He left Lexington without committing though, and now the Wildcats face a tense waiting game as powerhouse programs take their turns to woo Leavitt.
Leavitt was originally scheduled to visit Texas Tech Sunday but did not make that visit amid predictions that the Red Raiders were set to land Cincinnati quarterback transfer Brendan Sorsby. Sorbsy committed to Texas Tech later Sunday, and now LSU is reportedly hosting Leavitt on Monday, according to ESPN.
Oregon, Stein’s former/current employer, could still join the race for Leavitt if quarterback Dante Moore declares for the NFL draft. Miami has been mentioned as a possible contender too.
UK also hosted a pair of former Texas Longhorns, running back CJ Baxter and wide receiver DeAndre Moore, who left Lexington without committing. Moore visited Ohio State Sunday. Both are reportedly planning visits to Colorado later in the week.
Landing Leavitt could be particularly important in convincing Moore to come to Lexington. As of now, Kentucky has only one quarterback (redshirt freshman Brennen Ward) on the roster. Former starter Cutter Boley committed to Arizona State on Saturday, as expected.
UK is reportedly hosting Elon quarterback Landen Clark early this week, but Clark, who threw for 2,321 yards and rushed for 614 yards at the FCS level as a redshirt freshman, appears to be more of a backup option for 2026 who could develop into a starter down the road.
Suspended running back leaving UK
Kentucky running back Jamarion Wilcox, who was suspended for the entire 2025 season following a sexual assault allegation, is entering the transfer portal, according to On3.
While players who enter the portal can still return to their current schools, the move likely signals Wilcox will not play for the new UK football coaching staff, but his ongoing legal case could complicate his chances of finding another power-conference program.
Wilcox was charged with sexual assault in September, more than a month after a woman filed for a protective order against him after she alleged he climbed in her bed around 1 a.m. on Aug. 20 without her consent while visiting her roommate in their apartment. The woman alleged Wilcox tried to forcibly open her legs and grope her despite her telling him to leave. After she climbed out of bed to get her roommate, the woman realized Wilcox was naked, according to her petition for the protective order.
The woman called 911, and police responded to the apartment. In her petition, she said Wilcox refused to leave the apartment after police arrived for around 20 minutes.
Wilcox waived his preliminary hearing in October. The case has yet to be heard by a grand jury, which will decide whether to indict Wilcox. The protective order against him by the alleged victim runs until November 2028.
The Herald-Leader does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
As a redshirt freshman, Wilcox led Kentucky in rushing yards (590) but struggled to find a consistent role because he had not mastered the playbook. Still, he looked like one of Kentucky’s most dynamic playmakers when he touched the ball, as evidenced by 100-yard games in November against Tennessee and Murray State.
Even before the sexual assault allegation, Wilcox’s position at Kentucky appeared tenuous. He was third on the depth chart at running back for much of spring practice. Then Kentucky added New Mexico State transfer Seth McGowan as a new starter to the roster in the summer.
McGowan has since graduated. Backup Dante Dowdell is also transferring. That leaves third-string running back Jason Patterson as the top returning option for new UK coach Will Stein. Baxter, a former five-star high school prospect who has been slowed by injuries the past two seasons, could be the new UK starter if he commits, but the Wildcats probably need at least two running back transfers.
A familiar name is the first transfer commitment of the Will Stein era
Four-star high school wide receiver Kenny Darby will go down as the first recruit at any level to pledge to Stein as Kentucky’s coach, but in the modern era of college sports the first transfer portal commitment might be equally important.
That distinction goes to Arkansas linebacker Tavion Wallace. If that name sounds familiar it is because Wallace is the younger brother of former Wildcat star and current Carolina Panthers linebacker Trevin Wallace.
“My brother is a better recruit than me,” Trevin told the Herald-Leader during his final season at UK. “He’s a better player than me.”
Mark Stoops and Kentucky’s previous staff heavily pursued Tavion as a four-star high school prospect from Georgia but were unable to keep the legacy recruit in Lexington. Tavion played only sparingly as a freshman at Arkansas (two tackles in nine games) but remains a player with a high ceiling. Stein and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman landing the first visit from Wallace and a quick commitment — especially considering the presence of former UK assistants Jon Sumrall and Brad White, who coached Trevin in college, at Florida — is a nice early win.
Wallace arrives at a position of need.
Kentucky must replace both starting inside linebackers from 2025. It might be too much to expect Wallace to immediately step into a starting role, but he should be a rotation piece in 2026. Kentucky probably needs at least one more inside linebacker transfer who is a surefire starter, allowing Wallace, Grant Godfrey and Antwan Smith to compete for the other starting job.
Wallace’s pledge was followed by weekend commitments from Gardner Webb edge rusher Antonio O’Berry, Western Carolina cornerback Hasaan Sykes and LSU defensive tackle Ahmad Breaux on Sunday.
O’Berry, who began his career at Division II Tiffin, totaled 52 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season. He has one season of eligibility remaining. Sykes totaled 49 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions and eight passes defended in 2025. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Breaux totaled 19 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one-half sack in 12 games for LSU last season. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Monday morning, Stein landed his first offensive line commitment with a pledge from former Baylor center Coleton Price. Price started 30 games across the last three seasons. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Outgoing transfers reconnecting with former UK coaches
Former Kentucky cornerback DJ Waller, who missed most of the 2025 season with a hamstring injury, committed to Louisville shortly after the portal officially opened. At Louisville, Waller, a Youngstown, Ohio native, will reunite with former UK recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow, who recruited him to UK.
Safety Cam Dooley is the latest Wildcat to reportedly enter the transfer portal. Shortly after news broke that Dooley, who took over a starting safety role late in the 2025 season, was reported to enter the portal, CBSSports reported Florida was the school to watch for his commitment. White and former UK defensive backs coach Chris Collins are on Sumrall’s Florida staff.
Stein’s reputation as one of the best offensive coordinators in college football was always going to make it easier to retain the Wildcats’ top offensive players this winter. The presence of White and Collins at Florida and Marrow at Louisville increased the challenge of keeping UK’s most promising defenders, though.
Kentucky did receive some good news on the current roster with outside linebacker Sam Greene announcing Friday he will return next season.
This story was originally published January 5, 2026 at 6:43 AM.