NIL
The transfer portal additions for Minnesota Gopher football 2025 roster
PJ Fleck and his staff have navigated the tricky waters of the transfer portal as well as any staff in the country. With a limited NIL budget and a number of highly sought-after underclassmen, Fleck has managed to keep the majority of his key guys while finding transfers who fill critical holes in the roster. […]


PJ Fleck and his staff have navigated the tricky waters of the transfer portal as well as any staff in the country. With a limited NIL budget and a number of highly sought-after underclassmen, Fleck has managed to keep the majority of his key guys while finding transfers who fill critical holes in the roster.
This season has been no exception. The Gopher roster lost one player who would have started and been a key contributor when Phillip Daniels decided to transfer to Ohio State and play for his homestate Buckeyes. They also lost three players who transferred to another P4 program, all three of whom would have contributed but not likely started for the Gophers. Coleman Bryson to North Carolina, Martez Lewis to Northwestern and wide receiver Terrance McWilliams is heading to Louisville.
The other 15 names who entered the transfer portal were not likely to contribute at Minnesota and transferred to a lower level school where they will get more opportunity. Some names you may recognize…
- Jordan Nubin – to Kent State
- Kristen Hoskins – to North Dakota
- Hayden Schwartz – not yet committed
- Tyler Williams – not yet committed
- Martin Owusu – to Fresno State
The point is, there was not a mass exodus of talent and expected contributors. Even players who would garner significant paydays elsewhere decided to take what Minnesota has to offer and stayed here. The biggest underclassman losses were due to the NFL Draft, which is a good problem to have.
However, the staff also brought in a significant number of incoming transfers, many of whom are expected to contribute. But these names are unfamiliar to most of us, so it is time to get to know the portal additions to the Gopher roster.
QUARTERBACK
This position appears to be Drake Lindsay’s but some depth is needed. Zach Pyron was briefly here as a winter portal addition from Georgia Tech, but after spring practices he decided that this wasn’t the best fit for him and he is back in the portal.
- Emmett Moorehead – Old Dominion – Moorehead is not expected to compete with Lindsay for the starting quarterback role, but he is here to provide experienced depth. He made four starts for Boston College as a redshirt freshman, played in four as a sophomore and then transferred to ODU where he did not play, due to a knee injury.
RUNNING BACK
Much like last season, Minnesota needed to hit the portal to bring in depth at running back. Darius Taylor is expected to be the main guy, but this offense always needs fresh leg.
- AJ Turner – Marshall – As a sophomore for the Thundering Herd last season, Turner averaged just under 10 carries per game but finished the season with an 8.3 yard per carry average. He’s a big-play back who will be a significant contributor behind Taylor
- Cam Davis – Washington – This will be the 7th season for Davis and I would expect he will see the field throughout the season, but primarily as a role or situational player.
- Johann Cardenas – Redshirted last season for Vanderbilt and Cardenas should be coming to Minnesota with four years to play. He was a good high school running back out of Texas who had offers from a number of other P4 schools. There is upside here, maybe not a part of the pair and a spare rotation.
WIDE RECEIVER
This position has a lot of production and snaps to replace. So the portal was utilized heavily after approximately 75% of all receiver production has graduated.
- Javon Tracy – Miami (Ohio) – Had a breakout sophomore season for the Redhawks, leading the team in receptions and receiving yards. Tracy is the most likely candidate to contribute immediately.
- Logan Loya – UCLA – Playing college football for his sixth season, Loya is coming to Minnesota hoping to make an impact for his final year. He had 29 receptions, 348 yards and four touchdowns last season.
- Malachi Coleman – Nebraska – redshirted in 2024 after starting six games as a true freshman in 2023. Coleman was a top 100 recruit and the top-rated recruit in Nebraska’s 2023 class. He is 6’5” and adds tremendous athleticism to the Gopher roster. When things start to click, Coleman should be a major contributor.
TIGHT END
- Drew Biber – Purdue – a flexible tight end who will likely see playing time as part of the rotation.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Another position that was hit hard by graduation, the NFL and the portal. The good news is that this position group has been recruited well over the last several years and Minnesota is becoming a program that recruits, coaches and replenishes when players are lost. But there are really up to 4 spots needing to be replaced. So once again, Fleck turned to the portal.
- Marcellus Marshall – UCF – I would be very surprised if Marshall is not starting at one of the guard spots along the line. He started 11 of 12 games last season at UCF and will have just one season of eligibility.
- Dylan Ray – Kentucky – Originally committed to and played for West Virginia during his first two seasons before transferring to Kentucky. With the Wildcat,s he also worked primarily at guard, but is expected to compete for one of the starting tackle spots.
- Kahlee Tafai – Washington OT – Started a few teams as a redshirt freshman at Washington last season at tackle. Tafai will be just a redshirt sophomore and will be in the mix for playingtime at one of the tackle spots.
- Jaden Ball – Purdue – Will be a redshirt freshman after just one year at Purdue. I would not expect that Ball will be in the plans for 2025, but may be a nice addition for the future.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Defensive line depth is one of the bigger concerns of the offseason and the Gophers addressed that by bringing in 3 guys who should be a part of the regular rotation. With a solid core of quality starters, the need was depth, not necessarily a standout-starter.
- Rushawn Lawrence – Stonybrook – One of the best DTs in FCS last season should be a part of the interior rotation for the Gopher defensive line. Lawrence comes in at 270 lbs, so he’s not exactly an ideal size for Big Ten play on early downs. He has been playing post-high school football since 2019, so Lawrence is experienced and should be a valuable depth piece for the Gopher defense at both tackle and end.
- Mo Omonode – Purdue – Should be a solid member of the rotation who primarily gives rest for Deven Eastern. Omonode has played three seasons at Purdue without taking a redshirt
- Steven Curtis – Illinois State – Having played two seasons for the Redbirds, Curtis will have 2 years to compete at Minnesota with a redshirt available. But with the lack of depth, he may be needed to contribute this fall.
LINEBACKER
Now we get to the part where we have to replace the most significant loss on the defensive side of the ball. The loss of Cody Lindenberg to the NFL Draft was a blow to the 2025 Gopher defense. Maverick Baranonwski and Devon Williams are back, but there is a hole to fill at linebacker.
- Jeff Roberson – Oklahoma St – Roberson started all 12 games last year for the Cowboys and was named a team captain. But after the 0-9 Big 12 season, Roberson decided to head elsewhere for his final season and he decided to Row the Boat. He will have every opportunity to earn a starting role or he will be a primary backup. His experience and production should be a huge asset to this group.
CORNER
There are a number of key players to replace in the Gopher secondary. Justin Walley, Ethan Robinson and Jack Henderson were all significant contributors and those are a lot of snaps that the Gopher defense will have to replace. There are a lot of names on the roster, most of them lacking in experience. The staff brought in 2 transfers to be in the mix for playing time.
- John Nestor – Iowa – After playing in 10 games last year for the Hawkeyes, Nestor is coming to the Gophers with two seasons of eligibility. Potentially the team’s primary nickle back, likely will be in the rotation at corner or NB.
- Jaylen Bowden – North Carolina Central – a 6’1” corner who started all 10 games at UNC Central last year. Bowden will also have 2 seasons of eligiblity after spending his first two at the FCS level.
SPECIAL TEAMS
- P – Brody Richter – UCLA – Was the Bruin’s primary punter last season, averaging 42.8 yards per punt and he landed 17 of his 40 punts inside the opponent’s 20. Richter is likely the Gopher’s first-team punter in week 1 and has two years of eligibility.
- P – Tom Weston – Ouachita Baptist – Weston is an Australian kicker who comes to the Gophers via a Division II program and has three years of eligibility.
- K – Brady Denaburg – Syracuse – Spent his first years in college with the Orange and will come to the Gophers to compete to be Minnesota’s primary kicker. Comes from a very athletic family. Sister Lexy was a multiple All-American beach volleyball player at UCLA, both parents were collegiate athletes, brother played professional baseball and another sister was a collegiate soccer player.
It seems likely that there are a couple of starters in this group of transfers and several of them are going to be critical for depth. The Gophers have been very good at landing impact players via the transfer portal. In the last three NFL Drafts there have been four players who have signed NFL contracts after transferring into the Gopher program and graduating. NFL talent isn’t needed from this transfer class, but contributions and consistency are.
NIL
Latest update on NIL lawsuit involving former FSU coach Leonard Hamilton
Former Florida State Men’s Basketball coach Leonard Hamilton was sued in December over unpaid NIL money by former players, who all alleged that Coach Hamilton promised them $250,000. It involved six players from the 2023-24 team: Primo Spear, Jalen Warley, Cam’Ron Fletcher, Darin Green Jr., Josh Nickelberry, and De’Ante Green, but Fletcher has since dropped […]
Former Florida State Men’s Basketball coach Leonard Hamilton was sued in December over unpaid NIL money by former players, who all alleged that Coach Hamilton promised them $250,000. It involved six players from the 2023-24 team: Primo Spear, Jalen Warley, Cam’Ron Fletcher, Darin Green Jr., Josh Nickelberry, and De’Ante Green, but Fletcher has since dropped out of the lawsuit.
It’s an interesting case, as there was nothing signed pertaining to the “promised” NIL money, with it supposedly coming from some of Coach Hamilton’s “business partners,” not a fund like Rising Spear. When those funds that were guaranteed weren’t delivered on, all of those players left the program.
READ MORE: Pistons, Ex-FSU Basketball star under investigation for gambling
The lawsuit received an update on Monday, according to Matt Baker of The Athletic, as a Leon County judge denied Coach Hamilton’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The hearing now has a tentative date of August 2026, more than a year from now, as they try to work to find more facts related to the case.
A Leon County judge just denied former Florida State men’s basketball coach Leonard Hamilton’s motion to dismiss an NIL-related lawsuit against him. In the hearing, they set a tentative trial date of August 2026. Some fact-finding happening first, then mediation.
— Matt Baker (@MattBakerCFB) July 7, 2025
According to Baker’s initial report, “The players are suing Hamilton for breach of contract, promissory estoppel, fraudulent misrepresentation and fraudulent inducement, and negligent misrepresentations. They asked for a trial by jury, $250,000 in compensatory damages for each plaintiff and ‘punitive and exemplary damages to assist in deterring and preventing similar conduct in the future.’”
Hamilton announced his intention to step down as Florida State’s coach in February, and officially stepped down after the season, ending a run in Tallahassee that lasted more than 20 years. One of his former players, Luke Loucks, was named as his successor, who hopes to reignite the program that found a lot of success under Hamilton in the late 2010s, especially.
NIL
Venmo announces NIL deal with Texas Tech softball’s NiJaree Canady
NiJaree Canady on Texas Tech softball’s series win over Oklahoma State NiJaree Canady on Texas Tech softball’s series win over Oklahoma State NiJaree Canady continues to expand her business portfolio after a successful year with the Texas Tech softball team. Venmo announced Tuesday that Canady is one of three athletes from the Big 12 Conference […]


NiJaree Canady on Texas Tech softball’s series win over Oklahoma State
NiJaree Canady on Texas Tech softball’s series win over Oklahoma State
NiJaree Canady continues to expand her business portfolio after a successful year with the Texas Tech softball team.
Venmo announced Tuesday that Canady is one of three athletes from the Big 12 Conference who have landed name, image, and likeness deals with the money app. She’s joined by TCU women’s basketball player Oliva Miles and Arizona State football quarterback Sam Leavitt as players who will serve as brand ambassadors for Venmo’s Big 12 and school-branded debit cards.
According to the news release, Canady, Miles and Leavitt will receive a portion of their NIL payments into their personal Venmo accounts and show off how the cards work.
“I take pride in helping pave the way for the next generation of female athletes,” Canady said in the news release. “This partnership with Venmo will help create real financial empowerment for athletes, and I’m excited to help them break new ground as part of it.
“I already use Venmo all the time, and now with the Texas Tech Venom Debit Card, it will be easier than ever to put my NIL earnings to work in ways that matter to me and support Red Raider Nation at the same time.”
In addition to her NIL deals with the Matador Club, Canady had also previously landed deals with equipment companies Easton and Rawlings as well as being part of Team Mahomes, the Patrick Mahomes-led NIL group through adidas.
Canady helped the Red Raiders make a long list of historic achievements in her first season in Lubbock. She personally earned pitcher of the year awards from the Big 12 (conference) and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (national) and the Honda Award for softball. Canady wound up being a Top 3 finalist for the overall Honda Award, given each year to the top female athlete in the country.
As a team, Texas Tech earned Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, hosted a regional, won a Super Regional series and advanced to the championship series of the Women’s College World Series before falling to Texas in Game 3.
NIL
3 Kentucky Football Rankings to Get You Fired Up For Talking SZN
One week from today, hundreds of overweight Diet Coke addicts will step out of the Atlanta heat and into a frosty 62-degree College Football Hall of Fame to share what they think about SEC football ahead of the 2025 season. If that doesn’t romanticize the event enough to get you ready to run through a […]

One week from today, hundreds of overweight Diet Coke addicts will step out of the Atlanta heat and into a frosty 62-degree College Football Hall of Fame to share what they think about SEC football ahead of the 2025 season.
If that doesn’t romanticize the event enough to get you ready to run through a brick wall, KSR has scoured the internet to find some takes that could raise your blood pressure. Some Kentucky football fans love to play the disrespect card. If you’re like Benny Snell and eagerly awaiting the opportunity to light some preseason rankings on fire, it’s time to find a match.
Where Kentucky Ranks in the FBS
College football power rankings are imperfect. That’s at least what I think about FPI. Personally, I’m more of an SP+ guy. Kentucky ranks No. 34 and 43 in each respective preseason power ranking.
Phil Steele doesn’t need a power ranking. All he needs is a mustache filled with decades of football knowledge. In his college football preview magazine, Steele ranked every FBS team from 1-136. The Wildcats are No. 50. Ouch.
There’s only one other SEC team ranked outside of the Top 40. Mississippi State is No. 55.
SEC Quarterback Rankings
Steele’s system is not one that produces a lot of fodder during Talking SZN. Nothing hits quite like a debate over SEC quarterbacks.
Hope springs eternal for college football fans during Talking SZN. Much of that belief is put on the shoulders of a signal-caller. Do you value returning experience, or is new guy going to solve all of the program’s problems?
This year, there are seven returning starting quarterbacks in the SEC. Four players were high school recruits who bought time as backups at their school. Five projected starters are transfers, but in the case of John Mateer, he’s a starter who will have the same play-caller.
Friend of the program, SEC Mike, shared his quarterback rankings over the weekend. While you will probably quickly scroll to the bottom to find Zach Calzada at No. 16, a spot he will frequent in many of these rankings, I’m more interested in what the ranker values. It’s clear returning starters are at the top of his pecking order, while transfers are in the cellar. That’s not always how things shake out.

Got thoughts? Continue the conversation on KSBoard, the KSR Message Board.
Best SEC Stadiums
There’s an old well you can always go back to during Talking SZN. “What’s the toughest place to play?” The SEC is home to some of the best venues in college football. Kroger Field can get rocking in the right setting, but you will never see it near the top of one of these lists. Even though Chris Phillips is from the Palmetto State, he is 100% correct one one very specific take: Williams-Brice Stadium doesn’t get enough credit for being one of the most difficult places to play in the league.
NIL
Ratings for Every Ohio State Player in EA Sports College Football 26
Early access for EA Sports College Football 26 has officially begun, and Ohio State’s roster is full of highly rated players. Headlined by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (98) and safety Caleb Downs (96), the two highest-rated players in the entire game, Ohio State has six players with ratings of 90 or better. Wide receiver Carnell Tate […]

Early access for EA Sports College Football 26 has officially begun, and Ohio State’s roster is full of highly rated players.
Headlined by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (98) and safety Caleb Downs (96), the two highest-rated players in the entire game, Ohio State has six players with ratings of 90 or better. Wide receiver Carnell Tate and tight end Max Klare both have 91 overall ratings while linebacker Sonny Styles and cornerback Davison Igbinosun each have ratings of 90.
The Buckeyes are tied with Clemson for the fourth-most players in the video game with ratings of 90 or better. Penn State leads all schools with nine players in the 90+ club while Alabama and Texas each have eight.
Fourteen members of Ohio State’s 2025 roster have ratings of 85 or better on the launch rosters for EA Sports College Football 26, also including cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (88), running backs James Peoples (87) and CJ Donaldson (86), quarterback Julian Sayin (85), left tackle Ethan Onianwa (85), defensive end Beau Atkinson (85), defensive tackle Eddrick Houston (85) and middle linebacker Arvell Reese (85).
The full list of ratings for Ohio State players in EA Sports College Football 26, sorted by position, can be found below. Fake players who were added to the game by EA Sports and do not exist in real life are listed in italics.
Quarterback
- Julian Sayin: 85
- Lincoln Kienholz: 80
- Tavien St. Clair: 80
Halfback
- James Peoples: 87
- Jayson Ball: 87
- CJ Donaldson Jr.: 86
- Bo Jackson: 80
- Sam Williams-Dixon: 76
Fullback
Wide Receiver
- Jeremiah Smith: 98
- Carnell Tate: 91
- Brandon Inniss: 80
- Mylan Graham: 78
- Quincy Porter: 78
- Bryson Rodgers: 76
- De’Zie Jones: 72
- Bodpegn Miller: 71
Tight End
- Max Klare: 91
- Will Kacmarek: 82
- Jelani Thurman: 82
- Bennett Christian: 79
- Nate Roberts: 75
- Max LeBlanc: 71
- John Ferlmann (LS): 56
Left Tackle
- Ethan Onianwa: 85
- Ian Moore: 75
- Carter Lowe: 74
Left Guard
- Luke Montgomery: 78
- Eric Neaves: 76
- Devontae Armstrong: 69
- Jake Cook: 69
Center
- Carson Hinzman: 81
- Joshua Padilla: 73
Right Guard
- Tegra Tshabola: 80
- Christopher McLaughlin: 73
- Gabe VanSickle: 71
- Julian Goines-Jackson: 67
Right Tackle
- Austin Siereveld: 78
- Phillip Daniels: 76
- Deontae Armstrong: 73
Left Defensive End
- Kenyatta Jackson Jr.: 84
- Caden Curry: 81
- Zion Grady: 74
- Eric Mensah: 74
Right Defensive End
- Beau Atkinson: 85
- C.J. Hicks: 83
- Logan George: 77
- Joshua Mickens: 77
- Dominic Kirks: 74
Defensive Tackle
- Eddrick Houston: 85
- Kayden McDonald: 80
- Tywone Malone Jr.: 80
- Jason Moore: 77
- Jarquez Carter: 73
- Trajen Odom: 72
Left Outside Linebacker
Middle Linebacker
- Arvell Reese: 85
- Blake Carney: 79
- Payton Pierce: 74
Right Outside Linebacker
- Sonny Styles: 90
- Garrett Stover: 74
- Riley Pettijohn: 73
- Tarvos Alford: 72
Cornerback
- Davison Igbinosun: 90
- Jermaine Mathews Jr.: 88
- Lorenzo Styles Jr.: 79
- Aaron Scott Jr.: 78
- Trayvon Fuller: 77
- Justin Grimes III: 76
- Bryce West: 76
- Miles Lockhart: 71
Free Safety
- Caleb Downs: 96
- Kaleb Gaffney: 80
- DeShawn Stewart: 71
- Leroy Roker III: 66
Strong Safety
- Malik Hartford: 79
- Jaylen McClain: 77
- Keenan Nelson Jr.: 76
- Cody Haddad: 71
Kicker
- Jayden Fielding: 74
- Jackson Courville: 73
- Casey Magyar: 67
Punter
- Joe McGuire: 76
- Anthony Venneri: 74 (Note: Venneri is included on Ohio State’s game roster despite transferring to UCF.)
- Nick McLarty: 71
Eleven members of Ohio State’s freshman class, including five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez, are currently missing from Ohio State’s roster in EA Sports College Football 26. Other scholarship players absent from the launch roster are quarterback Eli Brickhandler, wide receivers Dave Adolph and Damarion Witten, offensive lineman Justin Terry, defensive tackle Will Smith Jr. and linebacker Ty Howard. Players could still be added to the game, however, as EA Sports will update the game’s rosters throughout the year.
As a team, Ohio State is one of seven teams with an overall rating of 88 along with Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, Georgia, Clemson and Texas A&M. Alabama (89) is the only team with a higher overall rating.
Ohio State is tied with Texas, Penn State and Arizona State for the highest offensive rating (91) in the game. The Buckeyes’ defensive rating of 92 ranks them behind Alabama, Texas and Penn State and is tied with five other teams – Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, LSU and Texas Tech – for fourth-best in the game.
Early access to EA Sports College Football 26 is now available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S to those who purchased the Deluxe Edition of the game. The standard edition of the game will be released Thursday.
NIL
Texas Tech softball's NiJaree Canady lands NIL deal for Venmo's Big 12
NiJaree Canady continues to expand her business portfolio after a successful year with the Texas Tech softball team. Venmo announced Tuesday that Canady is one of three athletes from the Big 12 Conference who have landed name, image, and likeness deals with the money app. She’s joined by TCU women’s basketball player Oliva Miles and […]

NiJaree Canady continues to expand her business portfolio after a successful year with the Texas Tech softball team.
Venmo announced Tuesday that Canady is one of three athletes from the Big 12 Conference who have landed name, image, and likeness deals with the money app. She’s joined by TCU women’s basketball player Oliva Miles and Arizona State football quarterback Sam Leavitt as players who will serve as brand ambassadors for Venmo’s Big 12 and school-branded debit cards.
According to the news release, Canady, Miles and Leavitt will receive a portion of their NIL payments into their personal Venmo accounts and show off how the cards work.
“I take pride in helping pave the way for the next generation of female athletes,” Canady said in the news release. “This partnership with Venmo will help create real financial empowerment for athletes, and I’m excited to help them break new ground as part of it.“I already use Venmo all the time, and now with the Texas Tech Venom Debit Card, it will be easier than ever to put my NIL earnings to work in ways that matter to me and support Red Raider Nation at the same time.”Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
In addition to her NIL deals with the Matador Club, Canady had also previously landed deals with equipment companies Easton and Rawlings as well as being part of Team Mahomes, the Patrick Mahomes-led NIL group through adidas.
Canady helped the Red Raiders make a long list of historic achievements in her first season in Lubbock. She personally earned pitcher of the year awards from the Big 12 (conference) and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (national) and the Honda Award for softball. Canady wound up being a Top 3 finalist for the overall Honda Award, given each year to the top female athlete in the country.
As a team, Texas Tech earned Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, hosted a regional, won a Super Regional series and advanced to the championship series of the Women’s College World Series before falling to Texas in Game 3.
NIL
Athletes Who Competed in Two Sports at Kentucky
Matt Ponatoski could join an exclusive club not just at Kentucky, but in all of college athletics. On Sunday, he became the highest-ranked player to commit to Nick Mingione’s baseball program, and also gave Mark Stoops a Top 10 quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class. The talented athlete from Cincinnati Moeller intends to play both […]

Matt Ponatoski could join an exclusive club not just at Kentucky, but in all of college athletics. On Sunday, he became the highest-ranked player to commit to Nick Mingione’s baseball program, and also gave Mark Stoops a Top 10 quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class. The talented athlete from Cincinnati Moeller intends to play both sports at Kentucky.
“I’m going to try and do both for as long as possible,” he said. “The goal for me is to be drafted in both [sports]. It sounds crazy, but Kyler Murray did it not too long ago.”
It’s a tall task, but he might be cut out for the job. Here are the few that have dabbled on both during their time in Lexington.
Kentucky’s Original Multi-Sport Star
You will not find a more accomplished athlete to ever suit up for the University of Kentucky than Wallace “Wah Wah” Jones. The Harlan native scored 1,151 points while winning two National Championships and an Olympic Gold Medal for Adolph Rupp. He also starred for Bear Bryant’s Wildcats and was an All-American in both sports. During his free time, he was a pitcher and first baseman for the baseball team. He is the only player with his Kentucky jersey retired in both football and basketball.
Close, but No Cigar
There were a number of players who planned on playing two sports, and for a myriad of reasons never suited up for two teams.
Dennis Johnson and Tim Couch were Hal Mumme’s two stars in the late 90s. Bill Keightley had a jersey ready for them, but Mumme did not want his stars to get injured while pressing in Rick Pitino’s practices.
Around that same time, Jared Lorenzen’s Highlands teammate Derek Smith was the Wildcats’ star tight end who succeeded All-American James Whalen. He caught 89 passes for 1,224 yards and nine touchdowns over three years. Once his football career ended, he played college hoops for NKU, who was Division II at the time.
Lonnell Dewalt claims the honor for the most ferocious dunk in KHSAA Sweet 16 history. He started his career on the football field and set an unbreakable record by blocking seven kicks in 11 games. Unfortunately, it was a short-lived career. He was academically ineligible and only lasted in Lexington for one season.
Ravi Moss was a walk-on for Tubby Smith who came off the bench and regularly knocked down big shots. Once his football eligibility expired, he planned on joining Rich Brooks’ football team. After two spring practices, he had a change of heart and joined a barnstorming and autograph tour with other former Kentucky basketball players. Over the summer, he changed his mind again. Since he accepted money on that autograph tour, the NCAA handed him a 6-game suspension, effectively ending his football career before it started.
Kentucky Stars in the 70s
Darryl Bishop was the first African-American to play for the Kentucky freshman basketball team. The Louisville Seneca product appeared in five varsity games before focusing on football. It was a wise career choice. He still holds the Kentucky career interceptions record (14) and has the most tackles ever by a Kentucky defensive back (348).
Similar to Bishop, Derrick Ramsey appeared in just two Kentucky basketball games before turning his attention to football. He served as the starting quarterback for two of the most successful seasons in Kentucky football history, guiding the Wildcats to an 8-4 record and a Peach Bowl victory in 176, followed by 10-1 campaign in 1977.
The fall and spring schedules make baseball and football the best tandem for two-sport players. There have been a few exceptional talents in recent memory.
Steve Phillips caught a touchdown pass from Freddie Maggard in 1989. He spent four years on the gridiron, then joined the baseball team for one season before getting drafted by the New York Yankees. Vince Harrison was a wide receiver who caught five passes and two touchdowns in 1998-99 while playing in the infield for Keith Madison. Brian Adams was a pass-catcher who had eight receptions for 69 yards from 2010-11, while playing in the infield at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
There were two Kentucky starting quarterbacks who spent a few years dabbling on the diamond. Pookie Jones ran the triple option for Bill Curry in the early 90s. Over three years, he threw for 3,459 yards and rushed for 854 yards with 29 total touchdowns. He was selected in the 14th round of the 1994 MLB Draft and spent three years grinding in the Minor Leagues. Jones picked up the football one more time and played for the Louisville Fire in the Arena Football League.
Shane Boyd did quite a bit of juggling during his time at Kentucky. He played a little wide receiver, but also shared quarterback duties with Jared Lorenzen and Andre Woodson between 2001-04. He had 13 career passing touchdowns, 13 rushing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown. Boyd had a strong arm that Coach Madison used as a reliever during his time on the diamond.
The Most Recent Two-Sport Athletes at Kentucky
Ben Jordan spent a couple of seasons pitching for the Kentucky Wildcats. The 6-foot-9 athlete walked onto the basketball team for the 2019-20 season. As the world began to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, he died unexpectedly in January of 2021.
Jordan Anthony was one of the nation’s top sprinters when he committed to Kentucky. The wide receiver appeared in a few games during his freshman season, but did not record any statistics. He was much more successful in track, setting the Kentucky freshman record in the 60 meters while earning All-American honors.
His focus was more on track than football, which ultimately led him to the transfer portal. He caught 11 passes over two seasons at Texas A&M and Arkansas, including a touchdown last fall for the Hogs. Earlier this month, he won an NCAA Championship in the 100 meters (10.07). One day later, Anthony signed with Adidas to pursue a professional track career.
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