The Kentucky Wildcats lost 19 players to the transfer portal last offseason, which pales already compared to how many are in it this season. How did those players do at their new destinations now that a season is in between? Let's grade them with a simple "impressed" or "disappointed" scale. Since the transfer portal is often used as immediate upgrades, and some experts have even referred to it as "football mercenaries," it's better not to look at the long-term impact down the road but simply at the 2024 football season.
It's also important to recognize that not all the losses were negative for the Wildcats before we jump in. Head Coach Mark Stoops even talked about how some of them needed to move along for more opportunities or better situations. He mentioned this season that he's only lost one player, which was frustrating, but that player was getting a lot of money to transfer.
Jamarius Dinkins
Dinkins was a consistent player along the defensive line for the Wildcats for two seasons. He played consistently in every game and had 17 total tackles and one sack. He left to go play at Purdue this offseason. Purdue was one of the worst football programs in D1 this season, but Dinkins was able to replicate his season at Kentucky. In the 2024 season with the Boilermakers, he totaled nine tackles, which is equivalent to his high total at Kentucky. He did not disappoint, but he wasn't impressed either.
Purdue got the exact same guy that Kentucky had in Dinkins.
Transfer Score: Same
Elijah Reed
Reed was not seeing nearly enough playing time, and I think there came a moment when it became evident that going to a conference outside the SEC would suit him. He only had one tackle in his one year at Kentucky. He transferred to Akron, where he excelled. He had 32 total tackles and even picked up an interception. He has been a stud for the Zips this last season.