Kentucky football transfer tracker: See who the Wildcats are adding, losing to the portal

When NCAA transfer portal officially opens Dec. 5, the Kentucky football team will join others around the country in competing for key additions to its 2023 roster.

Head coach Mark Stoops and the Wildcats had big contributions from several portal acquisitions en route to a 7-5 finish to the 2022 regular season, which clinched the program's seventh consecutive bowl appearance. Former Virginia Tech wide receiver Tayvion Robinson was a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball for second-year transfer quarterback Will Levis, while Keidron Smith (Ole Miss) and Zion Childress (Texas State) shored up the defensive secondary.

Departures, however, are also expected. In the days following UK's fourth straight win against in-state rival Louisville, two players took to social media to announce they plan to pursue other opportunities when the portal opens: wide receivers DeMarcus Harris and Chauncey Magwood.

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Keep this page bookmarked throughout the offseason to see who Kentucky is adding and losing via the transfer portal before it closes Jan. 18, 2023. There will also be a spring transfer period running April 15-30.

Kentucky football incoming transfers

Tanner Bowles (OL)

A Glasgow, Kentucky, native who has spent the past four years at Alabama, Tanner Bowles announced his return to the Bluegrass State on Dec. 8 during an appearance on Kentucky Sports Radio. The 6-foot-5, 293-pound offensive lineman appeared in all 12 games during the Crimson Tide's 2022 regular season as a backup at multiple positions in the trenches and as a special teams contributor. Bowles was a four-star prospect out of Glasgow High School and a top-20 offensive guard prospect in the Class of 2019, according to the 247Sports Composite. Bowles told KSR that his father played baseball at UK and said "I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity" to suit up in the blue and white.

Marques Cox (OL)

Checking in at 6-6 and 309 pounds, Marques Cox announced Dec. 15 he'll be transferring to Kentucky after four seasons at Northern Illinois. A native of Peoria, Illinois, Cox started 33 consecutive games at left tackle for the Huskies dating back to his redshirt freshman campaign (2019). With Cox in the trenches, NIU tied for 10th in the FBS with just 12 sacks allowed during the 2022 season and ranked 36th in the country with 190.4 rushing yards per game. Cox was a three-star recruit and the No. 119 overall offensive tackle prospect in the Class of 2018, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Ray Davis (RB)

After rushing for 129 yards and a touchdown in the Commodores' historic upset of Kentucky in November at Kroger Field, Ray Davis announced Dec. 20 he'll be joining the Wildcats through the portal. Considering Davis' experience at the collegiate level, the 5-foot-9, 205-pound San Francisco native will be the frontrunner to replace starting tailback Chris Rodriguez, who leaves UK with the third-most rushing yards in school history (3,644). Davis started all 12 games during his final season with Vanderbilt and netted 1,042 yards and five touchdowns on 232 carries alongside 29 catches for 169 yards and three scores.

Ray Davis:Kentucky football lands standout former Vanderbilt running back in transfer portal

Jantzen Dunn (DB)

A former All-State standout at South Warren High School, Jantzen Dunn announced he'll be transferring to Kentucky on Dec. 18 after two seasons at Ohio State. The 6-1, 192-pound safety appeared in two games for the Buckeyes as a freshman before suffering a season-ending injury. As a sophomore, he took the field in four games as a special teams contributor. Dunn was the No. 2-ranked player in the state of Kentucky in the Class of 2021 and a top-10 safety prospect nationwide, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Shane Hamm (QB)

Shane Hamm on Jan. 5 became the second quarterback to join Kentucky though the portal this offseason. After redshirting as a freshman at Dayton in 2021, Hamm completed 63 of his 112 pass attempts for 701 yards and six touchdowns with four interceptions across appearances in seven games during the 2022 season. He also rushed for 422 yards and three scores on 91 carries.

Jonquis 'JQ' Hardaway (DB)

Defensive back JQ Hardaway announced his transfer from Cincinnati to Kentucky on Dec. 15, the same day the Wildcats learned they'll be losing Carrington Valentine, a two-year starter at cornerback, to the NFL draft. Appearing in 11 games for the Bearcats as a freshman, Hardaway accounted for seven tackles (four unassisted), two tackles for loss and a sack. Checking in at 6-3 and 200 pounds, Hardaway was a four-star, top-30 recruit at safety in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Devin Leary (QB)

Considered the top quarterback available in the transfer portal by both 247Sports (No. 4 overall) and On3 (No. 3 overall), Devin Leary announced his commitment to Kentucky on Dec. 20. Leary, who checks in at 6-1 and 215 pounds, finished his career at NC State having completed 60.2% of his passes for 6,807 yards, 62 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. As a redshirt sophomore, he was named a finalist for the 2021 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annual to the nation's top quarterback, after setting a Wolfpack single-season record with 35 TDs through the air to go along with 3,433 yards and a .657 completion percentage. Leary's redshirt junior campaign was cut short by a season-ending injury he sustained during an Oct. 8 win against Florida State. Nine days later, he underwent surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle on his right side.

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Keeshawn Silver (DL)

A former five-star recruit who ranked among the top 10 defensive line prospects in the Class of 2021, Keeshawn Silver announced he'll be headed from North Carolina to Kentucky on Jan. 8. Silver, who checks in at 6-4 and 315 pounds, totaled four tackles (two unassisted) across appearances in six games for the Tar Heels combined between the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Kentucky football outgoing transfers

Kobi Albert (DB)

Defensive back Kobi Albert on Jan. 7 announced his entry into the transfer portal after one season at Kentucky. The 5-11, 185-pound Alabama native tallied three solo tackles, one of which resulted in a loss of yards, across appearances in 10 games during the 2022 campaign. Albert was a four-star recruit out of Fairfield Preparatory School and the 20th overall athlete prospect in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Tae Tae Crumes (WR)

A Louisville native who originally committed to U of L, Tae Tae Crumes announced on Dec. 2 that he'll be entering the portal. The 6-1 187-pound Butler High School grad redshirted during the 2020-21 season and caught just one pass for 10 yards during the five games he saw the field during his time in Lexington. Crumes was a three-star prospect out of Butler and the No. 92 receiver prospect in the 2019 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Mike Drennen II (RB)

Mike Drennen II thanked Stoops and recruiting coordinator Vine Marrow "for all the love and support since I was 13 years old" when he announced his entry into the portal Dec. 6. The 5-11, 204-pound running back appeared in six games during the 2022 campaign, rushing for 17 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries. He also caught two passes for a net gain of three yards. A native of Dublin, Ohio, Drennen was a four-star prospect out of high school and the No. 6 all-purpose running back prospect in the 2020 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Kiyaunta Goodwin (OL)

Stoops on Dec. 16 confirmed that the crown jewel of Kentucky's 2022 recruiting class, Kiyaunta Goodwin, had entered the transfer portal. Checking in at 6-8 and 351 pounds, the Louisville native was among 247Sports' top 50 prospects in the country coming out of Charlestown High School in Southern Indiana but never developed into a key rotational player while the Wildcats' offensive line struggled throughout the 2022 regular season.

Kiyaunta Goodwin:Former 5-star offensive line prospect enters transfer portal after one season with Kentucky football

DeMarcus Harris (WR)

A native of Vero Beach, Florida, DeMarcus Harris logged just four catches for 90 yards during the 2022 season, which saw the emergence of freshman wideouts Barion Brown and Dane Key. On3's Matt Zenitz reported Nov. 28 that Harris planned to enter the transfer portal. The 6-1 and 183-pound wide receiver was a three-star prospect out of high school, according to the 247Sports Composite. Eight of his 10 starts for UK came during the 2020-21 season.

Kentucky football recruiting:These players have committed to the Wildcats' 2023 class

Adrian Huey (DB)

Kentucky's first defensive player to enter the transfer portal, Adrian Huey did so on Dec. 5. The 6-0, 172-pound native of Nashville, Tennessee, redshirted after not playing during the 2021 season and did not see the field in 2022. Huey was a three-star cornerback prospect out of Hillsboro High School with reported scholarship offers from Arkansas, Charlotte, Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Chris Lewis (WR)

After two seasons in Lexington, Chris Lewis announced he'll be entering the portal on Nov. 28. The 6-4, 202-pound wideout appeared in eight games during the 2022 season, catching two passes for 22 yards and a touchdown (against Youngstown State). A native of Alabama, Lewis was the No. 54 receiver prospect in the Class of 2021, according to the 247Sports Composite, and appeared in four games as a freshman before redshirting.

Rahsaan Lewis (WR)

The son of Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, senior Rahsaan Lewis reportedly entered the portal Dec. 1. The 5-11, 187-pound wideout caught six passes for 65 yards and a touchdown (against Mississippi State) during the 2022 campaign. Kentucky was Lewis' third destination after he started his college career with stints at Central Florida and Florida Atlantic. With one year of eligibility remaining, he is once again looking for a new home.

Chauncey Magwood (WR)

Appearing in every regular-season game of Kentucky's 2022 campaign, Chauncey Magwood caught seven passes for 104 yards. His lone touchdown as a Wildcat came during a Week 1 win against Miami (Ohio). In announcing his plans to enter the portal on Nov. 28, Magwood said his time in Lexington was "filled with countless memories that will only better me in the future." The 6-foot, 198-pound Albany, Georgia, native was a top-100 wideout prospect in the 2021 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Justin Rogers (DL)

Justin Rogers, a key member of Kentucky's defensive line who started every game at nose guard as a junior, filed paperwork to enter the transfer portal on Jan. 3, according to a report from 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong. A former five-star recruit in the Class of 2020 from Detroit, Rogers tallied 35 tackles (nine unassisted) during his third season with the Wildcats and leaves Lexington with 60 total tackles (19 solo), five tackles for loss and three sacks across 33 games played. With a 247Sports Composite rating of 0.9744, Rogers is the second-highest rated prospect to sign with UK during the Mark Stoops era, according to the national recruiting database. The first, Goodwin, has also entered the portal this offseason.

Kavosiey Smoke (RB)

Reports that Kavosiey Smoke would enter the transfer portal surfaced Dec. 1, after the running back tallied 277 yards and one touchdown on 59 carries during his senior season with the Wildcats. The 5-9, 209-pound Alabama native leaves Lexington ranked 20th on UK's career rushing list with 1,583 yards (5.4 per carry) to go along with 13 scores. With the bulk of his playing time coming while Chris Rodriguez was serving a four-game suspension, Smoke had only eight carries over the final eight weeks of the season. After entering the portal, he tweeted, "Boy this feel good."

Keaton Upshaw (TE)

Fighting for playing time in a crowded tight ends room, Keaton Upshaw caught just four passes for 50 yards during his senior season in Lexington. The 6-6, 246-pound Ohio native announced his decision to enter the portal Dec. 2, tweeting "I'm excited to start a new chapter in my life." Upshaw missed the entire 2021 season after suffering an injury during fall camp.

John Young (OL)

A top-30 offensive tackle prospect in the 2020 class from Christian Academy of Louisville, John Young entered the transfer portal on Dec. 5 after three seasons with the Wildcats. The 6-6, 304-pound lineman played mostly on special teams during his time in Lexington and has two years of eligibility remaining at his next destination. In his message to fans announcing his departure, Young said playing for Kentucky "has been one of the greatest honors of my life."

Reach recruiting and trending sports reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @brooksHolton.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky football transfer portal tracker: Additions and departures