What to know about receiver transfers Will Stein added to UK football roster
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky lost multiple receivers to the portal, forcing urgent transfer additions.
- Staff added Nic Anderson and Shane Carr to provide proven FBS and FCS production.
- Health and scheme fit will determine whether Stein duplicates his Oregon offense.
With Kendrick Law out of eligibility, Kentucky football was always likely to need a starter-caliber wide receiver in the transfer portal this month.
But when the portal opened Jan. 2, it was at least possible to imagine the trio of young receivers who showed promise in 2025 might blossom into starring roles with Will Stein bringing his Oregon offense to Lexington. When little-used backups Preston Bowman, David Washington, Troy Stellato, Quintin Simmons and Montavin Quisenberry entered the portal, the need for depth additions at the position increased, but there appeared to still be no reason to panic.
Then freshman Cam Miller, the hero of UK’s 2025 win at Auburn, entered the portal. Shortly thereafter sophomore Hardley Gilmore, who trailed only Law in catches and receiving yards last season, entered the portal too.
Suddenly freshman DJ Miller was the only receiver on the roster who’d caught a pass in a game last season. Former SMU transfer Ashton Cozart, who did not appear in a game in his first season at UK in 2025, was the only other scholarship receiver left.
Adding a starting wide receiver was no longer a luxury for the new staff. Now, adding multiple receivers at least capable of competing for a featured role was a necessity.
As Kentucky’s top transfer targets at the position signed with other schools, angst levels increased.
Former Texas wide receiver DeAndre Moore signed with Colorado. Former Auburn wide receiver Malcolm Simmons picked Texas Tech. Prolific Texas Rio Grande Valley receiver Tony Diaz committed to Iowa. Colorado’s Dre’Lon Miller visited Kentucky then committed to Baylor.
Stein and his staff did sign wide receiver transfers Xavier Daisy (UAB), Ja’Kayden Ferguson (Arkansas) and Brock Coffman (Louisville), but only Daisy (19 catches, 201 yards in two years) had any notable college experience. Neither Ferguson nor Coffman caught a pass last season as freshmen.
On the eve of the deadline to enroll in classes for UK’s spring semester, the Wildcats finally added a proven commodity at the power conference level to the position. On Monday, the position was strengthened again with a former FCS standout.
“We finished up really well in that room,” Stein said Monday. “I think we got some really good young players as well. Right now, I feel good about our guys. It’s just about staying healthy and getting these guys clued into the game plans and to our scheme over the next couple months.”
Former Oklahoma and LSU wide receiver Nic Anderson, who set an Oklahoma freshman record with 10 touchdown catches in 2023, committed to Kentucky Friday. Former Southern Utah receiver Shane Carr, who has caught 81 passes for 1,371 yards and 10 touchdowns in two college seasons, signed with UK on Monday.
Anderson and Carr instantly become the most productive receivers on Kentucky’s roster. but questions remain.
Maybe DJ Miller emerges as the go-to receiver after flashing potential as a freshman. Maybe one or more of the high school signees, led by four-star prospect Kenny Darby, immediately earns a featured role. Maybe tight ends Willie Rodriguez and Mikkel Skinner ease the pressure on the wide receivers.
But are those additions enough for Stein to duplicate his Oregon offensive success at Kentucky? Here’s a closer look at each of the transfer wide receivers.
Nic Anderson (6-4, 208, Sr.)
When Anderson broke out with 38 catches for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma in 2023, he looked destined for stardom. A quad injury caused him to miss all but one game in 2024, though. Anderson then transferred to LSU, where he played for new UK offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, but he caught just 12 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. Anderson did not catch a pass in LSU’s final four games after suffering a knee injury. As with the addition of transfer running backs CJ Baxter and Jovantae Barnes, landing Anderson is a bet that better health luck will translate to a strong season. If healthy, Anderson is the favorite to lead UK in receiving yards next season.
Shane Carr (6-2, 190, Jr.)
In a Southern Utah offense that ranked 13th nationally in rushing yards per game last season, Carr still put up impressive receiving numbers with 50 catches for 744 yards and four touchdowns. But how will that production translate after making the jump from FCS to the SEC? There are at least examples of receivers making similar jumps and shining. Vanderbilt’s Tre Richardson recorded 806 receiving yards last season after transferring from a Division II school. Former All-SEC receiver Andrew Armstrong totaled almost 2,000 receiving yards in two seasons at Arkansas after transferring from an FCS program. There’s no guarantee Carr will find the transition that easy, but it should at least give fans hope for a big impact.
Xavier Daisy (6-3, 210, Jr.)
Daisy totaled 18 catches for 177 yards and one touchdown in 11 games at UAB last season. Expecting a dramatic increase in production against a more difficult schedule seems foolhardy, but Daisy at least adds some needed size to the receiver room. For comparison, former Wildcat Fred Farrier caught 18 passes for 266 yards and one touchdown at UAB in 2023 then 24 passes for 158 yards and one touchdown in two seasons at UK.
Ja’Kayden Ferguson (6-2, 187, So.)
Ferguson was actually committed to the previous Kentucky staff for almost five months leading into his senior year of high school before flipping to Arkansas three weeks before signing day. He appeared in six games as a freshman there but did not catch a pass. Now, the new UK coaches will hope Ferguson can still cash in on the recruiting hype that saw him ranked as a four-star prospect by Rivals in high school.
Brock Coffman (6-0, 180, RFr.)
Coffman was a late riser as a high school recruit after catching 89 passes for 1,387 yards and a state-leading 24 touchdowns as a senior at Sayre. That performance earned him a scholarship offer from Louisville, where he ultimately signed. Coffman appeared in one game as a freshman without recording a catch. The previous UK staff did not offer him a scholarship, but Stein and company gave him a chance to play for his hometown team.
This story was originally published January 19, 2026 at 2:17 PM.