With the transfer portal set to officially open on January 2, college football’s offseason carousel is already picking up speed. Players across the country are making moves, and one name back in the headlines is Caleb Redd - a former Kentucky Wildcat and most recently a Kansas Jayhawk - who’s once again on the move.
Redd, a St. Louis native, announced that he plans to enter the transfer portal after spending just one season at Kansas.
He’ll be a redshirt sophomore in 2026, carrying three years of eligibility into his next stop. For the second time in as many years, the edge rusher is looking for a fresh start.
Redd’s journey through the college football ranks has been a winding one. Originally a member of Kentucky’s 2024 signing class, he saw limited action as a true freshman in Lexington - logging just 12 defensive snaps across two games before redshirting.
The move to Kansas didn’t yield much more in terms of playing time. He appeared in only two games this past season for the Jayhawks, and now he’ll try to find a program where he can finally tap into the potential he flashed in high school.
And that potential is real. Redd was a force off the edge during his prep career, racking up 27 sacks over his final two seasons.
That kind of production turned heads and earned him a scholarship to play in the SEC. But as it often goes in the college game, the transition hasn’t been seamless.
Whether it’s scheme fit, depth chart competition, or just needing the right environment, Redd is still searching for the right situation to showcase what he can do.
He’s not alone in that search. Redd is part of a growing list of players from Kentucky’s 2024 class who’ve opted to move on after just one season.
EDGE rusher Steven Soles Jr. and wide receiver David Washington Jr. are also expected to hit the portal when it opens. That trio joins linebacker Landyn Watson, quarterback Stone Saunders, and wideout Preston Bowman as known portal entrants for Kentucky heading into the new year.
Despite the turnover, Kentucky still retains 18 players from that 2024 signing class. With Will Stein now at the helm and a new coaching staff settling in at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility, this is a pivotal moment for the program. The portal will be a key tool - both in terms of departures and additions - as Stein reshapes the roster in his image.
The transfer portal window officially opens on January 2 and runs through January 16. That’s a tight two-week sprint where programs will be working overtime to fill gaps, upgrade talent, and manage roster attrition. For players like Caleb Redd, it’s another chance to find the right fit and reignite a college career that’s still full of upside.