Kentucky football looking to add an SEC receiver from transfer portal

The Kentucky Wildcats football team is in the midst of a busy time of year, especially their new coaching staff. Head coach Will Stein is still coaching the Oregon Ducks in the College Football Playoff, and trying to prepare for the offseason for the Wildcats.

The transfer portal for college football opens on Jan. 2, and Stein and his staff will likely be heavily involved. One player they are targeting, per On3’s Pete Nakos, (subscription required) is wide receiver Malcolm Simmons, currently a member of the Auburn Tigers, but set to enter the portal.

Simmons is a former four-star recruit who chose Auburn over schools like Alabama and Tennessee. He was ranked as the number 150 overall player by 247Sports in the 2024 recruiting class, and the number 29 receiver.

As a freshman, Simmons showed off his explosiveness, recording 40 receptions for 451 yards, and he returned a punt for a score. This season, he had fewer catches, just 25, but had more yards, with 457 and 3 touchdowns.

The Wildcats have a number of receivers set to be on the roster for next season, but several are freshmen, and none of them are established number one guys. So, adding another player with a big upside makes a lot of sense. Kentucky is sure to have stiff competition from other SEC schools, but he is certainly a name to watch.