Kentucky coaches have come to the defense of Lynn Bowden Jr. following his trade from the Oakland Raiders, to the Miami Dolphins. First assistant Vince Marrow, and now coach Mark Stoops, who is good friends with Miami GM Chris Grier.

“The Dolphins understand the talent that he is. … If he gets with the right organization, he can have a long and successful career,” Stoops said, per Josh Moore.

The Raiders dealt the versatile Lynn Bowden Jr. to the Miami Dolphins on Saturday about four months after drafting him 80th overall. The deal included Las Vegas also sending a 2021 sixth-round pick to Miami in the deal and got a fourth-rounder in return.

Bowden gained fame last season as he moved from wide receiver to quarterback and at times single-handedly carrier the UK offense, perhaps most notably in the rain at Georgia.

He rushed for 1,486 yards and 13 TDs, averaging 7.9 yards per carry last season, and was a first-team All-American as an all-purpose player. Bowden caught 67 passes for 745 yards and five TDs in 2018 at receiver.

But in the NFL, Bowden reportedly struggled to find a role as a backup running back during his first training camp with the Raiders. The move was one of the most surprising in the NFL this preseason.