QB
1. Zach Calzada / BVG (TBD)
2. Cutter Boley
You could make the case that it's 1a and 1b, but given Calzada's experience he was brought in to be QB1 while Boley continues to develop. But along the way you are always open to the possibility that Boley takes the job and he would certainly be within range of playing a lot. With two scholarship quarterbacks coming in you have to feel like they're probably done there unless they have a free scholarship to play with and want to get creative. While Vandagriff has made no statement about next season there has been plenty of speculation about his future, and the fact that they brought in Calzada alone plus all of that leads me to put it this way.
RB
1a. Jamarion Wilcox
1b. Dante Dowdell
3. Jason Patterson
4. Tovani Mizell
You could see Kentucky adding another player here just because of how this position is prone to getting dinged up over the course of a year. Wilcox and Dowdell are probably set to be a true 1-2 combo so it's a fair designation. Patterson got more action than Mizell this year but TBD on how that plays out behind the obvious two up top. Dowdell is probably a bit more explosive as a runner than DSK but Wilcox is still the more explosive runner.
WR (F)
1. Ja'Mori Maclin
2. JJ Hester
Hester will probably see a good amount of playing time because of his size and the lack of size across the rest of the unit. The goal has to be for Maclin to get more deep shots in 2024 than he got in 2023.
WR (Z)
1. Hardley Gilmore
2. Fred Farrier
Is Gilmore in line for a second-year breakout? He played a lot in his first year as a young guy. He and Farrier got a good amount of playing time for backups this past season.
WR (X)
1. Kendrick Law
2. David Washington
Law has always had a lot of versatility and talent but the production at Alabama was someone muted. They have to find a way to craft a great role for him to maximize his usage next season. He could move to the backfield at times, too.
TE (Y)
1. Josh Kattus
2. Henry Boyer
These guys will be called upon to be formidable run blockers and add physicality up front.
TE (F)
1. Willie Rodriguez
2. Mikkel Skinner
The increased role for Rodriguez has been anticipated and the playing time was trending in that direction. Skinner was a coveted recruit as a hybrid/mismatch receiving option.
LT
1. Wallace Unamba
2. Malachi Wood
Can Unamba play left tackle? He was a right tackle at New Mexico and says he can play four of five spots on the line, but this is a spot where you could see them trying to add someone else.
RT
1. Alex Wollschlaeger
2. Anfernee Crease
Wollschlaeger will hit the S&C program and perhaps add some weight but he had a great season for Bowling Green. Wood and Crease were at least a year away in 2024.
LG
1. Joshua Braun
2. Jager Burton
Braun is a multi-year SEC starter who has played two different league schools and Burton has starter for much of his Kentucky career. So this will be a pretty experienced offensive line considering past stops.
RG
1. Jalen Farmer
2. Aba Selm
Selm is a backup that has been developing nicely in the program, reportedly, and Farmer was a starter all season long.
C
1. Evan Wibberley
2. Joshua Braun
Wibberley was WKU's center and Braun is coming to Kentucky with the possibility of being cross-trained at center. Keenum is gone so they'll need a backup there.
DE
1. Darrion Henry-Young
2. Kendrick Gilbert
3. Jacob Smith
There's some youth here at defensive end and they could be flexible in who gets a look here. As with defensive tackle, you're probably wanting some guys to take a step forward this offseason and it's not inconceivable that they could bring in another big proven body.
DT
1a. Kahlil Saunders
1b. Jaden Williams
3. Tavion Gadson
Saunders is one of those defensive linemen Kentucky should be getting back and he has played a lot for them in the past. They probably need someone to take a step forward here, but there are players with requisite size and talent if the experience is a little lacking overall.
NG
1. Josiah Hayes
2. Jaden Williams
Hayes missed a lot of action in 2024 but he's an experienced player in the SEC. Jaden Williams from Wyoming had 20 tackles last season and generated some real interest from the portal. It will be interesting to see how many snaps he could log next year.
SAM
1a. Alex Afari
1b. Sam Greene
Greene played as much for USC as Fearbry played for Kentucky last year and he had some flash moments. He could play in the OLB role as well.
OLB
1. Kameron Olds
2. Steven Soles
Olds had a breakout season for Kent State after spending a couple of years with Buffalo. Soles was one of the freshmen who saw the field more for the Wildcats. Strange to no longer see JJ Weaver here, but they probably hope to get some pass rush from this spot.
WLB
1. Daveren Rayner
If Rayner comes back for another season next year, as he only saw action in four games next year, he would be a featured part of next year's defense. But it's not clear to me who the backup ILBs would be so that's an area you could still see them targeting additional help.
MLB
1. Landyn Watson
2. Grant Godfrey
Watson had his best collegiate season by far, for Marshall in 2024, and Kentucky needs him to build on that.
CB
1. Terhyon Nichols
2. DJ Waller
3. Kevis Thomas
Nichols played a lot as a true freshman and I'm expecting him to be someone who develops into a more featured part of the defense. Overall, the depth situation at cornerback is not terrible. You don't have a headliner going into the year, like Maxwell Hairston, but you have a good number of guys who have played a lot or are right in that position to play more.
CB
1. JQ Hardaway
2a. Jantzen Dunn
2b. Nasir Addison
2c. Quaysheed Scott
Hardaway played a ton the past couple of years and so is in a good spot going into the year.
SS
1. Ty Bryant
2. Quaysheed Scott
One question I've got about next year's team is how Kentucky gets guys like Quaysheed Scott on the field for as many snaps as he can get. They obviously didn't mind playing him as a freshman but with returning players it's TBD on whether somebody like him could unseat a player who had been a starter.
FS
1. Jordan Lovett
2. Cam Dooley
1. Zach Calzada / BVG (TBD)
2. Cutter Boley
You could make the case that it's 1a and 1b, but given Calzada's experience he was brought in to be QB1 while Boley continues to develop. But along the way you are always open to the possibility that Boley takes the job and he would certainly be within range of playing a lot. With two scholarship quarterbacks coming in you have to feel like they're probably done there unless they have a free scholarship to play with and want to get creative. While Vandagriff has made no statement about next season there has been plenty of speculation about his future, and the fact that they brought in Calzada alone plus all of that leads me to put it this way.
RB
1a. Jamarion Wilcox
1b. Dante Dowdell
3. Jason Patterson
4. Tovani Mizell
You could see Kentucky adding another player here just because of how this position is prone to getting dinged up over the course of a year. Wilcox and Dowdell are probably set to be a true 1-2 combo so it's a fair designation. Patterson got more action than Mizell this year but TBD on how that plays out behind the obvious two up top. Dowdell is probably a bit more explosive as a runner than DSK but Wilcox is still the more explosive runner.
WR (F)
1. Ja'Mori Maclin
2. JJ Hester
Hester will probably see a good amount of playing time because of his size and the lack of size across the rest of the unit. The goal has to be for Maclin to get more deep shots in 2024 than he got in 2023.
WR (Z)
1. Hardley Gilmore
2. Fred Farrier
Is Gilmore in line for a second-year breakout? He played a lot in his first year as a young guy. He and Farrier got a good amount of playing time for backups this past season.
WR (X)
1. Kendrick Law
2. David Washington
Law has always had a lot of versatility and talent but the production at Alabama was someone muted. They have to find a way to craft a great role for him to maximize his usage next season. He could move to the backfield at times, too.
TE (Y)
1. Josh Kattus
2. Henry Boyer
These guys will be called upon to be formidable run blockers and add physicality up front.
TE (F)
1. Willie Rodriguez
2. Mikkel Skinner
The increased role for Rodriguez has been anticipated and the playing time was trending in that direction. Skinner was a coveted recruit as a hybrid/mismatch receiving option.
LT
1. Wallace Unamba
2. Malachi Wood
Can Unamba play left tackle? He was a right tackle at New Mexico and says he can play four of five spots on the line, but this is a spot where you could see them trying to add someone else.
RT
1. Alex Wollschlaeger
2. Anfernee Crease
Wollschlaeger will hit the S&C program and perhaps add some weight but he had a great season for Bowling Green. Wood and Crease were at least a year away in 2024.
LG
1. Joshua Braun
2. Jager Burton
Braun is a multi-year SEC starter who has played two different league schools and Burton has starter for much of his Kentucky career. So this will be a pretty experienced offensive line considering past stops.
RG
1. Jalen Farmer
2. Aba Selm
Selm is a backup that has been developing nicely in the program, reportedly, and Farmer was a starter all season long.
C
1. Evan Wibberley
2. Joshua Braun
Wibberley was WKU's center and Braun is coming to Kentucky with the possibility of being cross-trained at center. Keenum is gone so they'll need a backup there.
DE
1. Darrion Henry-Young
2. Kendrick Gilbert
3. Jacob Smith
There's some youth here at defensive end and they could be flexible in who gets a look here. As with defensive tackle, you're probably wanting some guys to take a step forward this offseason and it's not inconceivable that they could bring in another big proven body.
DT
1a. Kahlil Saunders
1b. Jaden Williams
3. Tavion Gadson
Saunders is one of those defensive linemen Kentucky should be getting back and he has played a lot for them in the past. They probably need someone to take a step forward here, but there are players with requisite size and talent if the experience is a little lacking overall.
NG
1. Josiah Hayes
2. Jaden Williams
Hayes missed a lot of action in 2024 but he's an experienced player in the SEC. Jaden Williams from Wyoming had 20 tackles last season and generated some real interest from the portal. It will be interesting to see how many snaps he could log next year.
SAM
1a. Alex Afari
1b. Sam Greene
Greene played as much for USC as Fearbry played for Kentucky last year and he had some flash moments. He could play in the OLB role as well.
OLB
1. Kameron Olds
2. Steven Soles
Olds had a breakout season for Kent State after spending a couple of years with Buffalo. Soles was one of the freshmen who saw the field more for the Wildcats. Strange to no longer see JJ Weaver here, but they probably hope to get some pass rush from this spot.
WLB
1. Daveren Rayner
If Rayner comes back for another season next year, as he only saw action in four games next year, he would be a featured part of next year's defense. But it's not clear to me who the backup ILBs would be so that's an area you could still see them targeting additional help.
MLB
1. Landyn Watson
2. Grant Godfrey
Watson had his best collegiate season by far, for Marshall in 2024, and Kentucky needs him to build on that.
CB
1. Terhyon Nichols
2. DJ Waller
3. Kevis Thomas
Nichols played a lot as a true freshman and I'm expecting him to be someone who develops into a more featured part of the defense. Overall, the depth situation at cornerback is not terrible. You don't have a headliner going into the year, like Maxwell Hairston, but you have a good number of guys who have played a lot or are right in that position to play more.
CB
1. JQ Hardaway
2a. Jantzen Dunn
2b. Nasir Addison
2c. Quaysheed Scott
Hardaway played a ton the past couple of years and so is in a good spot going into the year.
SS
1. Ty Bryant
2. Quaysheed Scott
One question I've got about next year's team is how Kentucky gets guys like Quaysheed Scott on the field for as many snaps as he can get. They obviously didn't mind playing him as a freshman but with returning players it's TBD on whether somebody like him could unseat a player who had been a starter.
FS
1. Jordan Lovett
2. Cam Dooley
