New Kentucky Wildcats football coach Will Stein has assembled a talented roster for the 2026 season after upgrading several sports through the transfer portal. The influx of good players, along with the retention of some key members of last year's squad, may allow them to compete against the quality teams in the SEC.
One fun way fans like to see how their teams are perceived is by the rankings they get in the yearly releases of EA's College Football games. This year's release is close, and we now know who the top ranked Wildcats are. Here are the top five.
Rating: 85
Baxter transferred to Kentucky from Texas, where he committed as a top 25 player in the 2023 recruiting class. He will likely be the lead back for the Wildcats, and if he can hit his ceiling, he'll put up big numbers.
Rating: 86
Gadson committed to Kentucky when Mark Stoops was the coach, but decided to stick with the Cats when Stein took over. In the new defensive system, he should be a more natural fit, and could see a jump in production.
Rating: 87
Heard is another new Wildcat who transferred from the Tennessee Volunteers. He was a five-star recruit in 2023, and started for the past two seasons at left tackle. He'll be the starter for Kentucky as well.
Rating: 87
Bryant is another defender who stuck around through the coaching change. He was an All-SEC player last season, and a leader with loads of experience. He is also a good punt returner, and potential NFL draft pick.
Rating: 88
Price comes to Kentucky from Baylor, and he has been one of the best centers in the country. He was All-Big 12 last season after giving up just one sack all year. He will be a key member of the big blue wall this year.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Top 5 Kentucky Wildcats player rankings in EA's College Football 27
