A court ruling that landed Thursday has put college football rosters into overdrive, and Kentucky is among the programs now weighing what it means. The judge ordered the NCAA to let every athlete from the 2022 recruiting class get a fifth year of eligibility without needing to apply for a waiver, a change that has already started pushing players back toward college.
For Kentucky, the timing matters. The Wildcats are less than a month from the season, and Friday brought one immediate bit of intrigue: linebacker Alex Afari Jr. is now exploring a return to college, according to a report. Given Kentucky’s depth at linebacker, that kind of move would be a major boost.
Will Stein addressed the situation Monday at media day in Lexington, and his message was clear: if there’s a way to make the roster better, Kentucky is ready to move.
"If there's a five-for-five option that we believe that can make us better, we're going to attack it full-force," Stein said. "I think it's still a wait and see.
People are not quick to act just because it's something that's reported on Twitter, and there's some judges that are ruling in favor of student athletes getting their fifth year back. But any time that we can enhance our roster, I'm going to be full steam ahead."
Kentucky’s schedule does not offer much breathing room this fall, with a run of top opponents stacked almost back-to-back. That makes roster upgrades even more valuable, and a player like Afari could raise the ceiling for what the Wildcats can do.
Stein also made clear that any additions wouldn’t have to come only from the 2022 recruiting class. Transfers are still part of the equation for teams navigating this new eligibility landscape, especially for players who entered the portal back in April.
However Kentucky’s roster ends up shaking out, this is one of those unusual situations every coach is now trying to navigate. And Stein is not sitting back and waiting to see what happens. He’s ready to pursue any chance to strengthen the team.
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Anthony Davis Nearly Took Kentucky's 2012 Title Run Off Another Path
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It is easy now to look back at Davis as the face of Kentuckys 2012 national championship team and the No. 1 pick in that summers NBA Draft, but even his own recollection of the decision carries some weight. He said telling Buckeyes coach Thad Matta that he was switching plans was a difficult moment, a reminder that the biggest college commitments are often personal before they are public. For Kentucky, it ended up being one of those recruiting turns that changed everything. [Read more 🡒]