A homecoming is being prepared for an enormous defensive lineman. Kentucky has added another trench player from the transfer portal, and this one knows his way around town.

Lexington native Jamarrion Harkless has committed to Kentucky. He hit the transfer portal this offseason after three years at Purdue. The defensive tackle visited Louisville, Nebraska, and Wisconsin before choosing to ride with his hometown team. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Harkless was a three-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class at Frederick Douglass High School. He originally committed to play for Auburn. Despite receiving some interest from the in-state programs, he ultimately signed to play for Ryan Walters at Purdue.

Harkless redshirted during his true freshman season. He’s played quite a bit of football since. The 6-foot-3, 315-pound nose guard averaged a dozen snaps per game during the 2024 season. When Barry Odom took over the program ahead of the 2025 season, Harkless emerged as a starter and took on a heavy workload. He started in all 12 games, averaging 35 snaps per contest, and recorded 13 tackles, 11 pressures, and 2.5 sacks.

Exceptional defensive line play has been a constant under Anwar Stewart, but his group lost all three nose guards from the 2025 team. Kentucky needed to get big bodies in the interior. Harkless is battle-tested in the Big Ten. Now he gets to clog gaps for his hometown team.

Kentucky Free Agency Additions

We’re only a few days into the transfer portal period, and the Wildcats have added 10 players to the 2026 Kentucky football roster. There have been five commitments in the last 25 hours.

QB Kenny Minchey, Notre Dame
IOL Coleton Price, Baylor
LB Tavion Wallace, Arkansas
DT Ahmad Breaux, LSU
EDGE Antonio O’Berry, Gardner-Webb
CB Hasaan Sykes, Western Carolina
DB Aaron Gates, Florida
IOL Max Anderson, Tennessee
RB Jovantae Barnes, Oklahoma
DT Jamarrion Harkless, Purdue

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