Kentucky Football’s Transfer Portal Activity in January 2026

The NCAA transfer portal opened for business on January 2, and it closed on January 16. This marked the first transfer cycle for Kentucky football under new head coach Will Stein. During this period, several players left the program, while others joined, shaping the future of the team.

One of the most notable departures was quarterback Cutter Boley, who started the final 10 games of the 2025 season. Boley committed to Arizona State on January 3. However, UK quickly found a replacement in Kenny Minchey, a former Notre Dame quarterback who pledged to the Wildcats on January 5. Minchey is one of two quarterbacks who committed to the program this month; JacQai Long, a former Marshall player, is the other.

Kentucky added more players than it lost during the January 2026 cycle. A total of 27 players committed to Stein’s new staff, while 23 former Wildcats chose to leave the program.

The incoming group of 27 players is evenly distributed across positions: 13 offensive players, 13 defensive players, and one specialist.

Players Lost Through the Transfer Portal

Here are the key players who left Kentucky football through the transfer portal:

• QB Cutter Boley – Committed to Arizona State on January 3
• QB Stone Saunders – Committed to San Diego State on January 5
• RB Dante Dowdell – Committed to Georgia on January 12
• RB Jamarion Wilcox – Committed to Marshall on January 15
• WR Preston Bowman – Committed to Ohio on January 7
• WR Hardley Gilmore – Committed to Baylor on January 12
• WR Cameron Miller – Committed to Ole Miss on January 12
• WR Montavin Quisenberry – Committed to Louisville on January 8
• WR Troy Stellato
• WR David Washington Jr.
• OL Darrin Strey – Committed to LSU on January 12
• OL Evan Wibberley
• DL Javeon Campbell
• DL Austin Ramsey – Committed to Kansas State on January 6
• DL Jerod Smith – Committed to Louisville on January 6
• LB Jacob Smith – Committed to Louisville on January 6
• LB Steven Soles Jr. – Committed to Arkansas on January 8
• LB Landyn Watson – Committed to Kansas on January 4
• DB Cam Dooley – Committed to Florida on January 7
• DB Quay’sheed Scott – Committed to South Carolina on January 8
• DB DJ Waller Jr. – Committed to Louisville on January 3

Players Added Through the Transfer Portal

Kentucky also brought in several new players through the transfer portal, strengthening its roster for the upcoming season:

• QB JacQai Long (Formerly of Marshall) – Committed to UK on January 11
• QB Kenny Minchey (Formerly of Notre Dame) – Committed to UK on January 5
• RB Jovantae Barnes (Formerly of Oklahoma) – Committed to UK on January 6
• RB CJ Baxter (Formerly of Texas) – Committed to UK on January 11
• WR Brock Coffman (Formerly of Louisville) – Committed to UK on January 13
• WR Xavier Daisy (Formerly of UAB) – Committed to UK on January 7
• WR Ja’Kayden Ferguson (Formerly of Arkansas) – Committed to UK on January 11
• OL Olaus Alinen (Formerly of Alabama) – Committed to UK on January 7
• OL Max Anderson (Formerly of Tennessee) – Committed to UK on January 6
• OL Lance Heard (Formerly of Tennessee) – Committed to UK on January 10
• OL Coleton Price (Formerly of Baylor) – Committed to UK on January 5
• OL Mark Robinson (Formerly of UTEP) – Committed to UK on January 11
• OL Tegra Tshabola (Formerly of Ohio State) – Committed to UK on January 12
• DL Ahmad Breaux (Formerly of LSU) – Committed to UK on January 4
• DL Jamarrion Harkless (Formerly of Purdue) – Committed to UK on January 6
• DL Antonio O’Berry (Formerly of Gardner-Webb) – Committed to UK on January 4
• DL Dominic Wiseman (Formerly of South Alabama) – Committed to UK on January 10
• LB Elijah Barnes (Formerly of Texas) – Committed to UK on January 10
• LB Tavion Wallace (Formerly of Arkansas) – Committed to UK on January 3
• DB Jesse Anderson (Formerly of Pittsburgh) – Committed to UK on January 9
• DB Jordan Castell (Formerly of Florida) – Committed to UK on January 7
• DB Aaron Gates (Formerly of Florida) – Committed to UK on January 6
• DB Mark Manfred III (Formerly of Missouri) – Committed to UK on January 11
• DB Hasaan Sykes (Formerly of Western Carolina) – Committed to UK on January 4
• DB Cyrus Reyes (Formerly of Mississippi State) – Committed to UK on January 10
• K Adam Zouagui (Formerly of South Florida) – Committed to UK on January 10

Final Thoughts

With the transfer portal now closed, Kentucky football has made significant moves to reshape its roster. The addition of key players like Kenny Minchey and JacQai Long signals a strong commitment to building a competitive team under Coach Stein. While some players have left, the overall balance of the roster appears to be improving, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.