Sub-.500 college football program finishes in top 10 transfer portal rankings

This SEC football program secured a top 10 transfer portal ranking after a five-win season by adding 29 veteran scholarship players.

Offensive lineman Lance Heard (53), ranked the No. 22 player in On3's transfer portal player rankings, joined the Kentucky Wildcats from Tennessee. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The standard trajectory for a college football team following a five-win season usually involves a quiet offseason spent rebuilding from within rather than winning bidding wars for the most coveted players in the country. It is rare for a program that finished under the .500 mark to become a primary destination for elite talent looking for a fresh start.

Yet as the January transfer window officially settles, one Southeastern Conference school has defied the traditional gravity of the win-loss column to secure a top-ten national ranking for its incoming class.

This sudden shift in recruiting momentum follows the high-profile addition of former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein to the coaching staff. Stein brought a reputation for high-octane offensive production that appears to have resonated deeply with players seeking a modern system that showcases their skill sets.

By prioritizing depth and elite trench play, the program secured 29 scholarship additions while losing only 24 to the portal, resulting in a net gain in both talent and veteran leadership.

The sheer volume of experience arriving on campus is staggering because the incoming group brings more than 20,400 career snaps to the roster. This veteran infusion stands in stark contrast to the roughly 9,000 career snaps lost through outgoing transfers, suggesting a massive upgrade in terms of immediate playability.

Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic recently recognized this aggressive strategy by slotting the Wildcats at No. 8 in their final portal class rankings, a position usually reserved for playoff contenders and traditional blue-bloods.

Transformative Kentucky football transfer portal additions under Will Stein

The offensive line overhaul served as the cornerstone of this recruiting cycle as the staff secured commitments from some of the most physically imposing blockers available.

Headlining this group is Tennessee transfer Lance Heard, a massive tackle who earned third-team All-SEC honors and provides an immediate upgrade at a premium position. He is joined by Tegra Tshabola from Ohio State and Coleton Price from Baylor, effectively giving the Wildcats a rebuilt interior that features starters from multiple Power 4 programs.

Skill position upgrades were equally impressive, with former Notre Dame quarterback Kenny Minchey choosing to flip his commitment from Nebraska to lead the new-look offense. Minchey will have plenty of weapons at his disposal, including LSU wide receiver Nic Anderson and former Texas running back CJ Baxter, who arrived with significant production in high-leverage games.

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Kenny Minchey (8) flipped his transfer portal commitment from Nebraska to Kentucky. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

To bolster the perimeter, the staff also added speedsters like Brock Coffman and Ja'Kayden Ferguson to ensure the passing game has vertical threats in Stein's scheme.

The defensive side of the ball received similar attention, with five defensive linemen, including Dominic Wiseman and Jamarrion Harkless, joining a rotation that now features extensive starting experience.

In the secondary, the addition of Florida safety Jordan Castell and Georgia safety Cyrus Reyes provides a veteran backbone to a unit that struggled with consistency last autumn. Even the special teams received an upgrade through kicker Adam Zouagui, signaling a top-to-bottom commitment to veteran talent.

While other outlets like On3 placed the school lower at No. 38, the consensus remains that the staff maximized its resources to fix glaring roster holes after a disappointing 2025 campaign.

Former Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter (4) had his 2025 season cut short against UTEP, just the third game of the season. He led the Longhorns with 23 carries for 104 yards over their first two contests. | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

By effectively doubling the amount of career experience on the roster through the portal, Stein has constructed a team that looks far more competitive on paper than the one that walked off the field last November. The focus now shifts to how quickly these disparate pieces can gel into a cohesive unit before the new season kicks off in late summer.

Kentucky will begin the 2026 season with its opener against Youngstown State (FCS) on Saturday, September 5.