10 Kentucky players poised for a massive breakout under Will Stein

Will Stein is bringing a new style to Kentucky football. He is going to pressure the opponent on all sides of the ball, no more hoping to keep it close and capitalize on a mistake. He wants to force mistakes. With that, there will be some growing pains, which is going to happen when you flip philosophies. This is an entirely new mentality and gameplan. They will give up big plays, and they will make mistakes, but they are also going to be incredibly fun to watch.

With that new aggressive style, there are going to be some players who jump off the page, and here are 10 that will.

10 players with a chance to be the next big star in college football

1. Mikkel Skinner, TE

At 6'4 with WR capabilities, Stein has already touched on how he thinks he could be like Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq. If that doesn't get you excited about the redshirt freshman, then this will:

Look at that top end speed. He could be a monster in an offense that loves to throw it to the tight ends.

2. Tovani Mizell, RB

Yes, Kentucky picked up CJ Baxter and Jovantae Barnes in the Transfer Portal. But keeping Tovani Mizell could be just as important. With a laser-timed 4.3 40, Mizell is a speed merchant. But at 225 pounds, he can bang inside. Look out for the redshirt sophomore to make a huge impact.

3. Kenny Darby, WR

Freshman wide receivers can be hit-or-miss. I would be absolutely stunned if Darby isn't a huge hit. He had nearly 3,000 receiving yards and 32 scores over his final two seasons in high school. He got the ball out of the backfield, on sweeps, punt returns, and kick returns. That kind of versatility in a multiple offense is exactly what you want. I don't know if he will be WR1 right out of the gate, but he will get his touches and make them count.

4. Elijah Brown, TE

Brown is a former top-300 player out of high school. He committed to Alabama, transferred to FAU, and then found his way to UCF before transferring one more time to Kentucky. He has the tools to be an elite playmaker in an offense that wants to spread the ball around. He is a 6'6 blocking machine, but that sets up plenty of chances to leak out and grab a big play with fake screens or misdirection.

5. Shane Carr, WR

A transfer from Southern Utah, Carr has all you want in a solid move-the-chains receiver. He is 6'2, shows good route running, and makes tough catches. He may not be a guy that can take it to the house every time he touches the ball, but he is exactly what you want on a tough 3rd down throw.

6. Tavion Wallace, LB

Trevin's younger brother didn't play a ton at Arkansas, but he has the speed and tackling ability to be a handful in Jay Bateman's attacking style. He has a natural nose for the ball and finishes tackles the way you want a linebacker to. His speed also allows him to drop back into coverage, where he can help cover during a blitz.

7. Antonio O'Berry, DL

O'Berry is not a name you will recognize; he played at Gardner-Webb, but you will know his name soon enough. He lives in the opposing team's backfield, and at 6'6 knows how to knock passes down. He was second on the team last year in pass deflections. That is something you don't see very often.

8. Tavion Gadson, DL

Gadson found his way on On3's top 100 college football players, and it is very hard to argue that he shouldn't be. 6'5 and a guy that, like O'Berry, finds himself in the opposing team's backfield a lot. He had 28 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks last season; those numbers will only go up in a defense that allows for more chaos.

9. Elijah "Bo" Barnes, LB

Ranked as the 11th best linebacker in the transfer portal by 247, Barnes is a former 5-star heat-seeking missile that loves to create havoc on the football field. At 6-2, 235 pounds, fans got a little sneak peek at Barnes' ability during Texas' Citrus Bowl win over Michigan. The freshman had 3 tackles and a sack in 19 plays, which is pretty good. He will be a redshirt freshman and have 4 years to play. Expect him to make an impact in year one, though.

10. Sam Greene, LB

Sam Greene came over from USC and had a really solid first season in Kentucky before suffering an injury that ended his season early against Florida. He finished with 25 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, and 4 quarterback hurries. That last statistic is the one you want to focus on, though. Greene can get in the backfield, and with Jay Bateman's blitz-heavy scheme, he will be a terror.

You will get your first look at Kentucky in April, as the Cats recently announced a full Spring Game. You can see all the details of that announcement here.