Looking For Improvement
Hello everyone, and welcome back to the latest in our ongoing series looking at the Kentucky football team. A big thank you to everyone who’s checked out our first three installments. In case you didn’t missed them, we started with Zach Calzada and the quarterbacks. That was followed by a look at the running backs. Lastly, the wide receivers and tight ends. Today we’re finishing up the offense, and as the title suggests, today’s focus is on the big guys up front. Much like several other spots on the team, there’s been a lot of turnover. Let’s take a deep dive into both positions with the 2025 Kentucky Fall Camp: Offensive Line.
Getting Back To A Gold Standard
Just a few years ago, the Kentucky offensive line was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best. Since then, the group has struggled to put it mildly. Over the last three years, the Big Blue Nation has seen Will Levis, Devin Leary, and Brock Vandagriff constantly running for their lives. To that end, Mark Stoops and offensive line coach Eric Wolford brought in numerous transfers. Many of them are your likely starters on August 30th against Toledo.
Shiyzah Pete transferred to Kentucky from New Mexico State. Standing 6′-8″ and 320 pounds, Pete was a three-year starter for the Aggies. He chose the Cats over Vanderbilt, which is significant due to the fact that he spent three years protecting now-Vandy quarterback Diego Pavia. Pete has instantly become a favorite of the Big Blue Nation through his interviews.
Kentucky got help at the guard position in Arkansas transfer Joshua Braun. The 6-foot-6, 340-pound Braun started his career at Florida. After three years, he left for Fayetteville, where he was a second-team All-SEC selection. He’s played in 50 games with 32 starts in his career.
At center, the Wildcats are going back to Jager Burton. In 2023, the Lexington native moved from guard to center with big expectations. However, Burton lost the job after a few games due to issues snapping the ball. Hopefully, for Cat fans, the second go-around works out much better.
The lone holdover from 2024 is right guard Jalen Farmer. The Florida transfer had a solid first year for the Cats and is expected to be a big contributor this year.
Finally, Kentucky brought in Alex Wollschlaeger from Bowling Green. The 6′-7″, 305-pounder is a two-time All-MAC selection, including first team in 2024. He’s the 19th-best tackle in the portal and has played 2,341 snaps in his career. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
That’s a look at your projected starters for the Wildcats. As we continue with the 2025 Kentucky Fall Camp: Offensive Line, let’s look at a few more players pushing for playing time.
Much Needed Depth
Behind the projected starters, Wolford has numerous players ready to step in if needed. Heading that list is Evan Wibberley, from just down the road at Western Kentucky. The 6-5, 295-pound Wibberley started all 14 games at center for the Hilltoppers and received a 72 grade from Pro Football Focus. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Should Burton falter again, Wibberly is the man to take over.
Another returnee is Malachi Wood, a sophomore from Madison Central in nearby Richmond, Kentucky. During the 2024 season, Wood saw action in 11 games and started the final five. He’s a versatile option at both tackle spots.
Two more transfers the Cats brought in are Rob Folger and Cameron Jones. Folger comes to Kentucky from Ball State, while Jones recently played at James Madison. Both have three years of eligibility remaining.
Finishing up our 2025 Kentucky Fall Camp: Offensive Line, let’s look at some other players whose time could come later.
Waiting In The Wings
In addition to all the Cats we’ve mentioned, several others are looking to crack the rotation. Aba Selm was the second-highest ranked offensive lineman in Kentucky in 2024. He appeared in two games last season. The rest of the offensive line room at freshmen. Jermiel Atkins is a 6′-8″, 329-pound freshman out of Dayton, Ohio. He has the one thing you can’t teach, which is size.
Bryan J. Auguste comes to Lexington from Florida. Cleveland native Jayden Clark ranked as the 22nd-best player in Ohio. Canadian native Jason Ekperuoh moved to Tennessee two years ago in order to play football. Lastly, Darrin Strey is another big prospect, literally and figuratively. Standing 6′-7″, he comes to Lexington as the sixth-best player in Michigan. He could see some playing time as early as this year.
Final Thoughts
As we mentioned at the beginning, for the Cats to improve on last year’s 4-8 season, the offensive line must show great improvement. Kentucky spends a large chunk of the NIL budget upgrading the offensive line. If Calzada’s under constant pressure, then another long season looks likely. However, with several all-league caliber players coming in, a return to form for the Big Blue Wall seems possible. The good thing is, Cat fans only have a couple of weeks until the season begins.
Thanks for checking out the 2025 Kentucky Fall Camp: Offensive Line here at Last Word On College Football. Next time out, we’ll flip to the defense.
Main Image: Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
