Preparations for the 2026 college football season are underway at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. Cleats hit the grass practice fields and/or the turf at the Nutter Field House this week as Kentucky head coach Will Stein bgins his first spring practice as the leader of a program. There will be a lot of new for the Wildcats in 2026. The same is true at EDGE.
Under new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, the Wildcats will be playing a more aggressive style on defense that will include some even fronts. That means that there will be less need for stand-up outside linebackers and will require defensive ends to play with their hands in the dirt. However, both of those player types will be in the same position room. After stops at Oregon, UCLA, and Ohio State, Tony Washington Jr. takes over this unit in Lexington at age 33. There is some talent in this room.
In KSR’s Spring Spotlight series, we will cover every position on Kentucky’s roster before spring practice begins. Next up is the edge of the defense.
Spring Spotlight: Running Back
Spring Spotlight: Wide Receiver
Spring Spotlight: Offensive Line
Spring Spotlight: Defensive Line
Lexington Podiatry has been Central Kentucky’s trusted source for podiatric care for over 2 decades. Their goal is to diagnose early, treat fast, and improve your quality of life. From sports injuries to chronic conditions, let them get you back on the right foot.
The Room
Antonio O’Berry (6-6, 240, 6th-year)
The Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne product started his career in Division II at Tiffin University in Ohio and only played in two games his first few seasons. However, a big redshirt sophomore year (35 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks) led to an opportunity at FCS Gardner-Webb. O’Berry would then spend two seasons with the Bulldogs. During that time, the edge defender logged 9.5 sacks on 72 pressures along with 52 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss in 2025. O’Berry went from a skinny player at Tiffin to a filled out 6-foot-6 frame at 240 pounds at Gardner-Webb.
The FCS transfer should give UK an intriguing pass rusher to use on the outside.
Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace (6-4, 270, Redshirt Senior)
After earning FCS All-American honors at South Dakota, the Cincinnati (Ohio) Princeton product entered the portal and picked Kentucky over some top competition. Humphrey-Grace recorded 18.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in 2024. The transfer became a plug-and-play starter for the Cats at defensive end who finished the season with 31 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 27 pressures on 502 snaps.
Now Humphrey-Grace will get to play a more natural position in 2026 with UK utilizing more even front. The 4-3 defensive end will get to play 4-3 defensive end and projects to be one of the best players on this football team.
Sam Greene (6-2, 248, Redshirt Junior)
After spending two seasons at USC, the DMV native transferred to Kentucky. Greene carved out a role in year two in the Big Ten and became a productive run defender at EDGE. The transfer is undersized but gave UK a true edge setter in 2025. The former top-500 recruit started nine games for the Cats and finished the season with 25 tackles, three tackles for loss, and 18 pressures in 338 snaps.
Greene suffered an ACL injury in November and was forced to miss Kentucky’s final three games. The outside linebacker will miss spring and likely will not be available to start the season. If the knee can get healthy, Greene will have a role but now is rehab time.
Tyler Thomas (6-5, 258, Redshirt Junior)
Kentucky addressed some defensive end depth late in the portal window by adding this Sun Belt transfer. Thomas started his career at UAB before spending the last two seasons at South Alabama. The Mobile (Ala.) Cottage Hill Christian Academy product will be a redshirt junior in 2026 with 38 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks on 575 career snaps. Thomas gives Kentucky some more immediate defensive line depth.
This Group of Six transfer has some pass rush potential and projects to be a rotational player this season. Thomas should benefit from Greene’s unavailability.
Lorenzo Cowan (6-3, 247, Redshirt Sophomore)
The former Kentucky commit finally joined the program in the spring transfer portal window ahead of the 2025 season after one year at USC. Cowan is the younger brother of Kentucky defensive tackle Tavion Gadson and carved out a role in November as injuries started to pile up. The Savannah (Ga.) Jenkins product played 145 snaps over the last five games and finished the season with 13 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles with two starts.
Cowan will compete for a starting spot at outside linebacker this season.
Ben Reeves (6-2, 240, Redshirt Sophomore)
The Covington (Ky.) Catholic product spent two seasons at Georgetown (Ky.) College and entered the transfer portal with three years of eligibility remaining. Reeves recorded 30 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and two pass breakups against NAIA competition in 2025. T
he Northern Kentucky native — and Willie Rodriguez‘s high school teammate — will play defensive end/outside linebacker at UK.
Brian Robinson (6-5, 265, Redshirt Sophomore)
The ballyhooed recruit out of Ohio took a redshirt season in year one on campus. Robinson did not appear in a game in year two. To say this is a massive spring for the class of 2024 recruit would be an understatement.
Kentucky’s scheme shift could allow Robinson to play a more natural position as a 4-3 defensive end but the former blue-chip recruit has a lot to prove.
Cedric Works (6-5, 254, Sophomore)
A four-star recruit out of Ohio who spent his senior season playing for Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass, Works surprised many as a true freshman. The outside linebacker played 172 defensive snaps in year one with 16 tackles and two tackles for loss. Works was outstanding in run fits and brought some sturdy physicality to the defensive front.
The sophomore has the ability to play both 4-3 defensive end and outside linebacker. Works owns high upside and could become a great scheme fit for this new defense. This young player has star potential.
Kentucky freshman OLB/DE Cedric “CJ” Works saw action in the Wildcats’ 38-7 win over Florida. (Jeff Drummond/KSR+)
Ben Duncum (6-5, 250, Freshman)
This three-star recruit out of Austin (Texas) Lake Travis had multiple SEC offers but decided to stick with his Kentucky commitment despite the coaching change. Duncum owns terrific measurables and could potentially play 4-3 defensive end or outside linebacker.
A redshirt season seems very possible but Duncum played with physicality in high school and will have a very good chance to become a productive player in the SEC.
Top Storyline: The return of Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace
Things will look different for the Kentucky defense in 2026. The Wildcats will play a more aggressive brand of football this season. Some players will be asked to become playmakers. Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace will be one of those player.
Keeping the defensive end of the roster through the coaching transition was a very big season. Now Humphrey-Grace is set to be one of the best players on this football team. Seeing how he adjusts to this new scheme could become one of the top storylines of spring practice.
What To Watch For: If any separation arrives
We know that Sam Greene is highly unlikely to be ready for the season opener. We know that Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace is more defensive end than outside linebacker. Lorenzo Cowan is more outside linebacker than defensive end. That’s about it.
Humphrey-Grace will be a starter. Every other spot is up for grabs. Some of the competition talk doesn’t feel real at certain positions. That is not the case here. There will be a legitimate competition for playing time.
Will anyone separate this spring?