Kentucky football gets commitment from transfer RB

Oklahoma transfer running back Jovantae Barnes has committed to Will Stein and the Kentucky Wildcats.

Oklahoma Sooners running back Jovantae Barnes (2) reacts after a touchdown against the Temple Owls. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Will Stein and Kentucky football have been on a hostreak with commitments in the transfer portal lately, with one of the biggest additions being Notre Dame transfer quarterback Kenny Michey, who is the #12 QB in the portal. On Tuesday afternoon, Kentucky added a commitment from Oklahoma transfer RB Jovantae Barnes, according to On3's Hayes Fawcett.

Barnes, a 5-11, 185-pound running back, chose the Wildcats over Arkansas, LSU, and will have one year of eligibility remaining after playing the last three seasons at Oklahoma. The former four-star prospect out of high school took his first visit as a transfer to Kentucky, and now he's a Wildcat. Barnes was ranked 191st as a prospect overall and the 16th-best running back in the class of 2022, according to 247 Sports, where he then chose the Sooners over top programs like Alabama and Florida State.

This season at Oklahoma, Barnes preserved a final year of eligibility by redshirting after playing the first four games of the season. During three seasons with the Sooners, the former four-star prospect had 1.469 yards and 13 touchdowns. His best season came in 2023 as a junior where he totaled 577 yards on the ground, five touchdowns, as well as 17 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown through the air. Headlined by running back Dante Dowdell hit the portal, Kentucky has added Barnes who has a lot of promise heading into his final year of eligibility after they have lost three running backs this offseason.

Barnes isn't the only transfer running back Kentucky has been involved with recently. Kentucky is very much in contention with Texas running back CJ Baxter, who took a visit to Lexington last weekend to meet with Will Stein and the new Kentucky staff. As for his recruitment, Baxter is set to visit Colorado on Wednesday. Head coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are the biggest threat for the WIldcats. Baxter ranks as the #7 RB in the transfer portal by 247 Sports, who would be an even bigger addition for Stein and Kentucky.

The transfer portal opened on Friday at midnight, and Kentucky football already has a handful of commitments, including a transfer quarterback who was a top 200 prospect out of high school, ranking as the #14 QB and #2 overall player in the state of Tennessee as part of the 2023 class. Check out the rest of Will Stein and Kentucky's additions from the portal so far below.

Kentucky's transfer portal additions so far

New Kentucky Wildcats head coach Will Stein makes remarks as he is introduced at Kentucky on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 | Michael Clevenger/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame QB Kenny Minchey

Oklahoma RB Jovantae Barnes

Baylor OL Coleton Price

Tennessee OL Max Anderson

Arkansas LB Tavion Wallace

LSU DT Ahmad Breaux

Gardner-Webb EDGE Antonio O'Berry

Florida DB Aaron Gates

Western Carolina CB Hasaan Sykes

Barnes certainly won't be the last running back addition for Kentucky in the portal.