As the college football calendar flips into the new year, the transfer portal is already heating up-and Kentucky’s roster is feeling the effects. On New Year’s Day, the Wildcats saw two more notable names enter the portal, bringing the team’s total to a dozen. Among the latest departures: twin brothers Jacob and Jerod Smith, a pair of former blue-chip recruits who once represented a major recruiting win for the program.
The Smith twins, both former Michigan commits, returned to their home state of Kentucky in 2023 to finish out their high school careers. That move helped pave the way for their eventual commitment to the Wildcats, giving Kentucky a high-profile defensive duo in the 2024 class. But now, both are looking for new opportunities elsewhere.
Jacob Smith, a 6-foot-4, 242-pound outside linebacker, will enter the portal as a redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining. Injuries limited his early development in Lexington-he didn’t play a single defensive snap during the 2025 season-but his pedigree still carries weight.
Smith was a four-star recruit and ranked No. 214 overall in the 2024 class. While his on-field contributions have been minimal so far, his size, athleticism, and recruiting background suggest he’ll draw interest from Power Five programs looking to develop a long-term edge presence.
His twin brother, Jerod Smith II, had a more immediate impact. The defensive lineman played in all 12 games as a sophomore in 2025, logging 283 snaps and finishing with 27 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, a forced fumble, and 10 pressures.
That’s a solid leap from his freshman campaign, where he saw limited action but still managed to record seven tackles on 54 snaps. With two years of eligibility left, Jerod enters the portal as a proven contributor who’s expected to be a high-level target for programs across the Power Four landscape.
The departure of the Smith brothers marks a significant shift for Kentucky’s 2024 recruiting class, which was ranked in the top 25 nationally. Seven players from that group have now entered the portal, a reminder of how quickly rosters can turn over in today’s college football environment.
Here’s a look at the full list of Kentucky players currently in the transfer portal:
- LB Landyn Watson
- **EDGE Steven Soles Jr.
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- QB Stone Saunders
- **WR David Washington Jr. **
- WR Preston Bowman
- CB Nasir Addison
- DT Austin Ramsey
- WR Troy Stellato
- DL Javeon Campbell
- **CB DJ Waller Jr.
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- EDGE Jacob Smith
- DL Jerod Smith II
The transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2 and will remain open through Jan. 16. That two-week window is expected to be active across the country, especially for programs like Kentucky that are navigating both departures and potential additions.
For Kentucky, the challenge now is twofold: replenishing depth at key positions-particularly along the defensive front-and identifying experienced players who can step in and contribute immediately. The loss of both Smith brothers stings, not just because of their talent, but because of what they represented for the program’s recent recruiting success. Still, in the modern era of college football, roster management is a year-round game, and the Wildcats will have to pivot quickly as the portal carousel spins into full gear.