Kentucky has a new addition to the defense for 2022, this piece coming to the Wildcats via way of the transfer portal.

On Friday, Zion Childress announced he was joining the Wildcats after getting his start at Texas State. A member of the Sun Belt Conference, Childress turned into a leader on the Texas State defense before entering the transfer portal.

Childress’ signing was officially announced by Kentucky on Saturday. Head coach Mark Stoops was very complimentary about Childress upon his arrival, particularly noting the versatility he brings to the Wildcat defense.

“We are excited to have Zion be a part of our program,” Stoops said via press release. “He played two years at Texas State and he was a proven defensive starter in the Sun Belt Conference. He has the chance to come in and really contribute to our team because he’s so versatile. He can play multiple spots on our defense and with his background of being a former quarterback, he really understands the game. He’s young, athletic and talented, and we can’t wait to help develop him here.”

Childress will be immediately eligible and has 3 seasons of eligibility remaining.