No one addressed wide receiver in transfer portal better than Kentucky

During the coaching carousel, the biggest splash was made when Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC. The 38-year-old play-calling head coach owns a 55-10 career record with three College Football Playoff appearances and a reputation for being the best offensive mind in college football.

Not surprisingly, recruiting is going well for the Trojans.

Riley immediately flipped five-star 2023 quarterback Malachi Nelson to go along with a handful of other flips on the recruiting trail for west coast prospects. In the portal, USC has landed 11 transfers and the program is still in the running for Oklahoma transfer Caleb Williams. Among those transfer additions have been three wideouts.

Oklahoma transfer Mario Williams was a top-50 recruit out of Florida in the class of 2021 who will be following his coach to the Pac-12. Colorado transfer Brenden Rice was a one-time Kentucky target that will also be making the move to USC joining Washington transfer Terrell Bynum.

The Trojans had a nice haul, but Kentucky’s might be better.

In December, the Wildcats added Virginia Tech transfer Tayvion Robinson and the senior brings 113 receptions for 1,155 yards and 227 rushing yards on 29 attempts to the program. Plus, the transfer has experience as a high-quality punt returner.

Wan’Dale Robinson leaves some big shoes to fill, but Tayvion Robinson has a very similar skillset and background coming from an offense that was just unable to use his talents efficiently.

Then, on Friday, Kentucky added the cherry on top. Tayvion Robinson filled the need for another slot, but Alabama transfer Javon Baker gives the Wildcats a true outside wide receiver with SEC playing experience.

The Atlanta native will be a junior in 2022 after playing 21 games in his first two seasons at Bama. The 6-2, 206-pound wideout has the size and frame to play both X and Z outside positions.

Last year, Kentucky had to turn to Josh Ali to play a lot outside to free up the slot role for Wan’Dale Robinson. Ali was forced to play a little bit out of position as Kentucky truly did not have a threat to challenge defenses outside the numbers.

Baker could change that as his tape shows a physical wide receiver with traits that could give Kentucky a playmaker on the outside. Adding a talent like this will also give Dane Key and Chris Lewis some time to develop at the position.

The wide receiver position was once a position of weakness for the Kentucky football program. How do programs change that? Through recruiting.

Since Liam Coen arrived, the Wildcats have instantly fixed their wide receiver issues with recruiting. Kentucky now has the pieces in place to have a strong passing game in 2022 thanks to some more quality work in the transfer portal.

The additions in both the portal and high school recruiting in the 2022 class will create immediate impacts and long-term stability for the Kentucky passing game.