Welcome back to our ongoing look at Will Stein’s first Kentucky football team. As we get closer to the spring game on April 18th, we’re going position by position for the Cats. Recently, our focus has been on the defensive side of the ball. In case you missed them, we started with the defensive line. That was followed by the edge rushers. Both of those groups have some really talented but rather inexperienced players. Our focus today is on another group with tons of talent but short on experience. Let’s introduce you to the room with our 2026 Kentucky Spring Preview: Linebackers.
A Young But Talented Group
Building Momentum
Like many spots on the team, the linebackers group has a new man in charge. Chad Wilt has more than 20 years of coaching experience. He comes to Lexington from Michigan State, where he had been for the last two years. Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman is also expected to work this group as well. They’ve got a very talented but young room to work with.
You have to start your look at the linebackers with Grant Godfrey. The now redshirt junior was a huge recruiting win for Mark Stoops and his staff back in 2022. Last year, he spent time filling in for Alex Afari Jr. when he was injured. Godfrey performed well, recording 34 tackles, two for a loss and a half sack. He played well at the end of the year with four tackles and had one-half quarterback sack against Texas. He followed that up with a career-high nine stops, including one-half tackle for loss, at Vanderbilt. The 6′-3″, 234-pound Godfrey looks to build on last year.
As we continue our 2026 Kentucky Spring Preview: Linebackers, let’s look at some new faces for the new season.
Help Through The Portal
As they did at pretty much every position, Kentucky sought immediate help through the transfer portal. They believe they’ve got a couple of players who can start from day one. Coming out of high school, Elijah Barnes was a top 100 player in the nation. The Dallas native signed with Texas, staying one season in Austin. Playing in four games, Barnes had four tackles and a sack. He ranked as the 11th-best linebacker in the portal and should be your starter at middle linebacker when the Cats open the season against Youngstown State.
The second name is one very familiar to the Big Blue Nation. Tavion Wallace is the younger brother of former UK star and current Carolina Panther Trevin Wallace. Tavion played in nine games for Arkansas last season, mainly on special teams, making two tackles. A former top-200 prospect coming out of high school, he ranks as the 31st-best linebacker in the transfer portal. He’s another player the staff believes can come in and challenge for a starting job.
Time to wrap up our 2026 Kentucky Spring Preview: Linebackers by looking at the rest of the room.
Creating Depth
Pushing For Playing Time
Junior Antwan Smith played in all 12 games last season after appearing in seven contests as a true freshman. He finished with six tackles and a pass defended. He’s a player who will provide depth at the middle linebacker spot.
Another Smith, Devin, has seen his college career hampered by injuries. He was a big recruiting win after picking the Cats over LSU, among others. However, he redshirted his first year and played in five games last season before getting injured against Georgia and missing the rest of the season. If he’s finally healthy, Devin Smith could see solid minutes in 2026.
Quintavion Norman was another top 100 recruit coming out of Georgia. He’s played in three games over two years, making one tackle in the Cats’ win over Tennessee Tech. Nashville native Kris Thompson played in one game last year and kept his redshirt. Michigan native Wyatt Phyle did not appear in a game last season.
Justyn Hartley is an incoming recruit from Hoover, Alabama. He’s the 23rd-best player in Alabama in the 2026 recruiting class. Hartley played edge in high school but could see time at linebacker.
Final Thoughts
Heading into spring practice, linebacker is definitely one of the biggest question marks on the team. Godfrey, Barnes, and Wallace look like your three starters. However, none of the three has ever been a full-time starter. Behind them is tons of potential, just not much experience. How quickly this group comes together goes a long way in determining whether 2026 is a successful season.
Thanks for checking our 2026 spring preview: linebackers here at Last Word On College Football. Next time, it’s a look at the cornerbacks.
Main Image: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
