2026 Kentucky football position preview: Wide Receiver

Who are playmakers that starting QB Kenny Minchey can utilize this season?

Nov 15, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver DJ Miller (7) makes a one-handed catch during the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Kentucky football season is almost just one week away from kickoff and we're continuing our position previews with the wide receivers. There are a lot of new faces at the position, along with some big questions that likely won't even be answered until the Wildcats take the field on Sept. 5. Guys like Ja'Mori Maclin, Kendrick Law and Troy Stellato are gone after one season in Lexington, and it's time for some newcomers and young players to step up.

Who are some potential leaders at the wide receiver position? The first name that comes to mind here is DJ Miller, who had a breakout half-way through last season and stepped up for QB Cutter Boley when not many others did. Miller saw action in seven games, including three starts. He totaled 13 catches for 175 yards last season, with his best performance by far coming against Tennessee. The 6-3 receiver had five catches for 120 yards, including two touchdowns, which tied the school record for the most by a freshman in a game.

Oct 25, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats offensive lineman Jager Burton (62) celebrates with wide receiver DJ Miller (7) after Miller scores a touchdown during the third quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Next to him are the newcomers, which is where the question marks come in. Miller stepped up big for Kentucky. Who needs to join him and produce as a pass-catcher? Nic Anderson is a transfer out of LSU and a former four-star recruit who could end up being Kentucky's best receiver. He is best known for his time at Oklahoma, where he put up 798 yards on 38 catches before injuries sidelined him for the next two seasons. His time with the Tigers was disappointing, but he's looking to get back to his old self in Lexington. Another who is expected to be one of Kentucky's top receivers is Shane Carr, who had an impressive few seasons at Southern Utah. He put up 627 yards as a freshman and followed with a 744-yard season the next.

Sep 6, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Nic Anderson (4) is tackled by Louisiana Tech Bulldogs defensive back Cedric Woods (11) during the first half against Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Those guys are the bulk of the experience in Kentucky's wide receiver room and there is some promising depth down the road, but the youth is noticeable. Will Stein recently talked about the 'unproven production' with the position.

"I think there’s some really good talented players in that room,”Stein said. "A lot of unproven production. I mean the most returning production from last year’s squad, I believe, is DJ Miller. He had 13 catches for 175 yards. So Shane Carr coming in with a lot of production, Nic Anderson, over the course of his career, has been productive, but it hasn’t been as of late because of injury. I like guys like Ja’Kayden Ferguson with big upside. I like Kenny Darby — I mean that guy is super talented. Prince Jean had a really great camp. Brock Coffman is super reliable. So there’s some guys, and I would say kind of the no-namers that people don’t really know yet that I’m really excited about. So again, they’re young and they’re talented, but unproven."

We'll see who steps up and what kind of production Kentucky's wide receiver room can make happen.

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