Kentucky is running out of tight ends as another one jumps in the transfer portal

The Kentucky Wildcats are losing players left and right to the transfer portal, especially on the offensive side of the ball. They have lost five official pass catchers (Ja'Mori Maclin sounds like he is on the fence), three of which have been tight ends. Today, it was announced that tight end Jordan Dingle also jumped into the portal.

Dingle, who hails from Bowling Green, Kentucky, is going into his Senior year of football and has decided to take his talents elsewhere. While tight ends continue to be recruited heavily to Kentucky, they often are underutilized, especially in the passing game. Dingle has 43 receptions, 615 yards, and four touchdowns on his career. He only played in four games his freshman year but saw a huge uptick in usage his sophomore year, catching 20 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Since then, it's only gone downhill.

He's seen that it's time for him to move on, and after Kentucky went 4-8 on the year and is entering his senior year of football, now is the time. He came to Kentucky as a 3-star recruit and wanted to play for the hometown team and don the blue and white. He will also leave as a potential 3-star player. 24/7 evaluates him as a 3-star transfer.

Dingle still has a ton of upside in his game but will need to be an offense that better utilizes tight ends. He only had three total catches this year in SEC games, and his lone touchdown came at the beginning of the season against the University of Southern Miss. This is a travesty for a player who showed so much promise and was able to succeed when called upon.

The mass exodus of pass catchers continues, and the tight end room is down to just a few players left after three have already jumped into the portal. It will be tough to get any new ones to join Mark Stoops and this Kentucky offense, but the coaching staff plans to go out and look.