Projecting Kentucky football’s 2026 depth chart after spring practice
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Will Stein’s staff did not use a traditional depth chart during spring practice.
- The article lists projected 2026 starters by position after spring practice.
- Spring game and coach interviews provided a clear picture of likely starters despite absences.
If you only casually paid attention to Will Stein’s first spring practice as Kentucky football coach, you probably still caught at least one major talking point from the new staff.
There is no depth chart. Seriously, no depth chart.
“We have a blue and a white squad,” Stein said after Saturday’s spring game, reiterating a point he made repeatedly over the last month-plus. “Having a true, ‘here’s our offensive line, here is our ones,’ it didn’t happen this spring. But that’s on purpose, that’s how you develop a roster.
“You give everybody the opportunity to come into practice and not worry about where they are on the depth chart.”
But just because Stein declined to use a traditional practice format with first-, second- and third-team units on offense and defense does not mean the new coaches pretended certain players had not already secured featured roles. Interviews with position coaches and coordinators throughout spring practice combined with Saturday’s spring game gave a clear picture of where things stand on the roster.
Remember, unlike previous years when teams could plug holes after spring practice — while also risking losing key players — there is no spring transfer portal window to overhaul the roster again. There might be a handful of depth additions from the group of players who entered the portal in January but did not sign with new schools in time for the spring semester, but the vast majority of the roster is set.
Here’s a position-by-position look at where things stand with Stein’s first UK team after spring practice.
Quarterback
Projected starter: Kenny Minchey (6-2, 211, Jr.)
Other scholarship players: JacQai Long (6-2, 203, So.), Matt Ponatoski (6-2, 190, Fr.), Brennen Ward (6-4, 227, RFr.)
Coach says: “I think Kenny’s always going to represent us the right way, which I love. He carries himself like a pro. He’s in here, he’s working. He’s communicating with the players, he’s communicating with the coaching staff. He shows up to work every single day. … I think his accuracy consistently shows up. He’s able to make plays with his feet. And then when he’s had some opportunities, he’s been accurate down the field. I think he’s driving the football better than what he did.” – offensive coordinator Joe Sloan
What to know: Minchey did not wow in the spring game, but he was playing without three of the top four projected wide receivers, top two running backs and starting left tackle. There were some highlights, like his 27-yard pass over the middle to tight end Willie Rodriguez in a two-minute drill. Stein and Sloan deserve the benefit of the doubt in quarterback evaluation and play thanks to their track record, but the pressure is on Minchey. Ward appears to be the top backup based on spring game snaps, but Long, who previously started at Marshall, and Ponatoski, if he makes it to campus instead of signing a pro baseball contract, could be factors as well.
Running back
Projected starter: CJ Baxter(6-1, 230, Jr.)
Other scholarship players: Delvecchio Alston (6-0, 210, Fr.), Jovantae Barnes (6-0, 214, Sr.), Martels Carter (6-0, 205, RFr.), Tovani Mizell (6-0, 213, So.), Jason Patterson (5-10, 204, So.)
Coach says: “I want to be the heartbeat of the offense. I want the offense to center around us. I want us to be effective. I want us to average 4 or 5 yards per carry. I want to be able to have 80% or better in short-yardage situations. I want to be able to score red zone touchdowns and be effective. I want the defenses that we face every year to know that they got a game plan for our run game.” – running backs coach Kolby Smith
What to know: No position is expected to look more different in the fall than spring than running back since Baxter and Barnes were held out of contact drills in an effort to avoid unnecessary hits. That led to Carter being moved from safety midway through spring practice. He impressed with the ball in his hands, suggesting his long-term future might be on offense, but he still needs time to learn the scheme. Patterson is No. 3 in the pecking order but will surely be needed at some point this season given the concerning injury history of Baxter and Barnes.
Wide receiver
Projected starters: Nic Anderson (6-4, 205, Sr.), Shane Carr (6-2, 185, Jr.), DJ Miller (6-3, 208, So.)
Other scholarship players: Brock Coffman (6-0, 181, RFr.), Ashton Cozart (6-3, 202, Jr.), Xavier Daisy (6-3, 212, Jr.), Kenny Darby (6-1, 180, Fr.), Ja’Kayden Ferguson (6-2, 184, So.), Hardley Gilmore (6-1, 183, Jr.), Denarius Gray (6-2, 181, Fr.), Prince Jean (6-1, 187, Fr.), Davis McCray (6-2, 196, Fr.)
Coach says: “We call ourselves the ‘paper chasers.’ Obviously, in this football environment, you can capitalize on your abilities on the field, but we’re student athletes. We want to chase the degree as well. But really we’re talking about accountability, playing fast and physical on the perimeter and just really showing up in any way we can to be able to help our team win.” – wide receivers coach Joe Price
What to know: Everyone at this position has questions to some degree, and the spring game offered few answers since Anderson, Miller, Gilmore, Daisy and McCray were unavailable and Carr played in a no-contact jersey. The projected starters all have high ceilings but low floors too due to injuries or a lack of production at the FBS level. The good news is Darby and Ferguson were among the young receivers who appeared to make the most of additional snaps in spring.
Tight end
Projected starter: Willie Rodriguez (6-4, 249, Jr.)
Other scholarship players: Henry Boyer (6-6, 270, Sr.), Elijah Brown (6-6, 263, Sr.), Mikkel Skinner (6-4, 234, RFr.)
Coach says: “I think the biggest thing is just how those guys work. ... You watch the film, and how those guys go about their business on the game field, the amount of effort that was on there was just no question. And that’s just been every single day proven to me every single time I’m out there with those guys. They don’t say much. They go to work, and then when we need them to, they bring an intensity level that I haven’t been around in a long time.” – tight ends coach Justin Burke
What to know: This might be the best position on the roster, alleviating some pressure on the unproven wide receiver group. Stein projected NFL futures for Rodriguez, Boyer and Skinner. It would not be a surprise if Rodriguez ends up being the best player on the team. Boyer is adding pass-catching to his strong work as a blocker. Skinner could be a difference-maker in the role Kenyon Sadiq played for Oregon in Stein’s offense last season.
Offensive line
Projected starters: LT Lance Heard (6-6, 325, Sr.), LG Olaus Alinen (6-6, 329, Jr.), C Coleton Price (6-3, 308, Sr.), RG Tegra Tshabola (6-6, 329, Sr.), RT Malachi Wood (6-8, 329, Jr.)
Other scholarship players: Max Anderson (6-5, 299, So.), Jermiel Atkins (6-8, 326, RFr.), Jay Clark (6-4, 318, RFr.), Jason Ekperuoh (6-6, 354, RFr.), Rob Fogler (6-7, 325, Jr.), Hayes Johnson (6-4, 310, So.), Cameron Jones (6-6, 335, Jr.), Jordan Knox (6-2, 319, Jr.), Cameron Miller (6-5, 341, Fr.), Mark Robinson (6-5, 328, Jr.), Aba Selm (6-4, 327, So.)
Coach says: “I think the one thing that we did was we brought in the right people, the people that have really good off the field habits, extremely smart. They work hard. Like, tremendous people before you even look at the film. And I think that really helps with the transition of things. ... It’s a huge plus that they played a lot of power for football as well.” – offensive line coach Cutter Leftwich
What to know: Landing three transfers with multiple years of power conference starting experience gives the new staff a leg up in the quest to replace the entire starting five from last season. Heard, Price and Tshabola are locked in as starters, and Wood appears to have the lead in the right tackle competition. Left guard, where Alinen played in the scrimmage, is the ongoing battle to watch since versatility is a strength on the roster. Anderson, Clark, Knox, and Selm could all factor there. Robinson is the third tackle, but Alinen and Anderson can play outside too.
Defensive line
Projected starters: Tavion Gadson (6-5, 303, Jr.), Jamarrion Harkless (6-4, 346, Jr.), Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace (6-4, 271, Sr.)
Other scholarship players: Ahmad Breaux (6-3, 260, Jr.), Ben Duncum (6-5, 224, Fr.), Kalen Edwards (6-4, 335, So.), Brian Robinson (6-5, 257, So.), Nic Smith (6-5, 282, RFr.), Jaden Williams (6-4, 290, Sr.), Tyler Thomas (6-5, 260, Jr.), Dominic Wiseman (6-2, 298, Sr.)
Coach says: “You gotta recruit the building. We got some really good young men, we got some really good players, and we didn’t want those guys going anywhere, because we know we’re really close. We’re really close to really getting to the next level, getting the playoffs, so we had to keep a lot of those guys. We were fortunate enough to do that. Now we’ve brought in other guys to come in to build the nucleus and to build it around it, and that spells success.” – defensive line coach Anwar Stewart
What to know: Keeping Gadson and Humphrey-Grace was a priority for the new staff, so they should be among the most important defenders in the fall. Harkless returns home to Lexington to give UK a gigantic nose to plug holes. The depth is unproven, but Breaux and Williams should be ready to step in when needed.
Outside linebackers
Projected starter: Sam Greene (6-2, 251, Jr.)
Other scholarship players: Lorenzo Cowan (6-3, 250, So.), Antonio O’Berry (6-6, 244, Sr.), CJ Works (6-4, 247, So.)
Coach says: “There’s a lot we ask them to do, which is good. You put them in a lot of different positions, different situations, see who can do what. What’s unique about the group is that we have a lot of different skill sets, a lot of different body types. What they bring to the table is different, situation-based. … Technically, they’re called Jacks in our defense, but they’re going to be all over the place, all over the field, doing a lot of different stuff.” – outside linebackers coach Tony Washington
What to know: Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman’s aggression on defense should lead to more pass-rushing opportunities for this group. Greene did not participate in contact portions of spring practice as he worked back from last year’s season-ending injury but established himself as a vocal leader. Cowan and Works flashed potential last year, and the new staff signed O’Berry as a transfer from Gardner Webb due to his pass-rushing ability.
Inside linebackers
Projected starters: Grant Godfrey (6-3, 240, Jr.), Elijah Barnes (6-1, 242, RFr.)
Other scholarship players: Quintavion Norman (6-3, 223, RSo.), Justyn Hartley (6-2, 215, Fr.), Devin Smith (6-0, 231, So.), Antwan Smith (6-3, 226, Jr.), Kris Thompson (6-0, 222, So.), Tavion Wallace (6-1, 241, So.)
Coach says: “To be honest with you, we wanted to try to find a veteran guy that had played more (in the portal), and I just didn’t think they were any that were good enough. I mean, ultimately, this isn’t a little league. This is the SEC and there’s a certain height, weight, speed, physicality requirement a kid has to have.” – Bateman
What to know: Throughout spring practice, the new staff has raved about Godfrey, who gained valuable starting experience down the stretch last season, so one starter is set. In the portal, Bateman prioritized talent over experience in adding Barnes and Wallace, two former four-star recruits who played only sparingly as freshmen. Antwan Smith will play an important role too, and remember Bateman’s defense will use multiple combinations of positions in the front seven depending on the situation.
Cornerbacks
Projected starters: Terhyon Nichols (5-11, 194, Jr.), Hasaan Sykes (6-0, 192, Jr.)
Other scholarship players: Nasir Addison (6-0, 191, Sr.), Andre Clarke (6-1, 180, Fr.), Demarcus Gardner (6-0, 177, RFr.), Grant Grayton (6-3, 194, So.), Isaiah McMillian (6-1, 176, Fr.), Braxton Urquhart (6-3, 200, Jr.),
Coach says: “I’ve learned they’re still green. They’re still green to the game. … I got to start from the ground up, and that’s not a bad thing by any means. I’ve done it before in my career. The best part about it is they’re willing. They’re willing. So I’ve seen so much progression throughout the days.” – cornerbacks coach Allen Brown
What to know: A year after injuries decimated Kentucky’s depth at cornerback, the 2026 Wildcats could benefit from some of the experience gained by young players before they were ready to face SEC competition. Asked for a spring MVP, Bateman pointed to Nichols, and the staff quickly targeted Sykes as a transfer from Western Carolina who could start opposite him. Addison and Grayton also started games last season. Gardner was a pleasant surprise this spring after redshirting.
Safeties/nickels
Projected starters: Ty Bryant (6-0, 196, Sr.), Jordan Castell (6-2, 211, Sr.), Aaron Gates (6-0, 199, Jr.)
Other scholarship players: Jesse Anderson (6-0, 186, Jr.), Mark Manfred (6-2, 171, RFr.), Andrew Purcell (5-10, 201, RFr.), Cyrus Reyes (6-1, 192, Jr.), Jaden Smith (6-3, 205, So.), Kevis Thomas (6-0, 181, Sr.), Dyllon Williams (6-2, 191, RFr.)
Coach says: “They’re all really smart. I’ve been really impressed with the football IQ and the ability to handle a lot of stuff. Like, we’re not just sitting back and playing one call. It’s not just a sit-back, cover-three defense. We’ve got multiple coverages, multiple things we do, different techniques within those different things. You have to do different blitzes and things like that. So, this group has been really smart. Now, we still got to keep refining some things, but I’ve been really impressed with their overall ability to handle what we’ve thrown at them so far.” – safeties coach Josh Christian-Young
What to know: Bryant, who tied for the SEC lead in interceptions last season, and Castell, a transfer from Florida, should give UK one of the most experiences safety duos in the country. Anderson and Reyes performed well enough as their backups this spring for the staff to be comfortable moving Carter to running back, but their progress will say much about the depth here. Gates will be the No. 1 nickel back, known as the “star” in Bateman’s scheme, but Smith proved capable of playing that spot for the former staff too. He was held out of at least part of spring practice due to injury.
Specialists
Projected starters: K Jacob Kauwe (6-1, 216, So.), P Thomas O’Hara (6-1, 201, Jr.)
Other scholarship players: K Adam Zouagui (5-11, 191, Sr.), Wilson Berry (6-4, 206, Sr.)
Coach says: “It’s about giving really good football players an understanding of why they’re out there and what they’re doing, and letting them go do those jobs. And then just give them a little scale, a little context of how to best use their skills. I mean, playing kickoff is playing safety on blitz. I mean, it’s kind of the same stuff, and that’s kind of what I want to get those guys to understand. Try to be as multiple as we can. There’s some rule changes we’re kind of figuring out right now, and that’ll probably impact a little bit of that, but we’ll adapt.” – special teams coordinator Parker Fleming
What to know: Kauwe impressed as a redshirt freshman, converting 13 of 17 field goals and all 32 extra-point attempts. O’Hara, a transfer from Murray State, represents a return to the Australian punter pipeline that served Kentucky well earlier in the decade. Questions remain at returner, where wide receiver Ja’Kayden Ferguson and running back Martels Carter were among the players who fielded kicks in the spring game. The theme of the new staff is aggression, so expect that to carry over to special teams too.