Kentucky D-lineman set to enter transfer portal, per report
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The Kentucky Wildcats are officially entering the Will Stein era on the gridiron, and this means that players who were recruited and played under former head coach Mark Stoops are now deciding between sticking around and playing for the new head man or hitting the portal and suiting up for a new team in 2026.
Several key contributors for the Wildcats in 2025 have already elected to hit the open market following the departure of Stoops, and another big-time name appears to be making the same decision as well.
According to CBS insider Chris Hummer, star Kentucky defensive lineman Jerod Smith II has reportedly decided to enter his name into the transfer portal once the January window officially opens.
A highly coveted 4-star recruit in the 2024 cycle, Smith signed with the Wildcats over multiple other high-level Power 4 programs, including Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, and Arizona.
The true sophomore burst onto the scene for the Cats in 2025, wreaking havoc up front on defense and racking up 27 total tackles, 5 tackles-for-loss, and 1 sack while starting all 12 games for Kentucky.
Productive defensive linemen are always in high demand when it comes to the portal, and Hummer reports that he should draw some serious interest from other Power 4 programs.
