Transfer Portal Targets: Kentucky Offers Arizona State LB Connor Soelle

The Arizona native spent four years at home playing for Arizona State, but now seeks pastures new — and perhaps blue.

Kentucky football has announced six new Wildcats that have made their way to Lexington for the 2023 season via the transfer portal: 

• OL Tanner Bowles (Alabama)
• OT Marques Cox (Northern Illinois)
• CB JQ Hardaway (Cincinnati)
• CB Jantzen Dunn (Ohio State)
• QB Devin Leary (NC State)
• RB Ray Davis (Vanderbilt)

It's quite the haul for Mark Stoops, as the additions fill perhaps the four biggest areas of need for UK moving forward. The transfer portal window closes in less than two weeks on Jan. 18, meaning the time for decisions is almost up. 

While Kentucky did quite well in December, reeling in big fish like Leary, the rod may be cast a couple more times before the window officially closes. On Thursday, a new potential transfer target emerged. 

Connor Soelle — a 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker out of Scottsdale, Ariz.— is in the portal after spending four seasons close to home at Arizona State. He announced via social media that he has received an offer from Kentucky, just three days after his entry:

Soelle was a 3-star prospect in the 2019 class and was the No. 17 player in the state coming out of Saguaro High School. During his time at Arizona State, he mostly saw action on special teams. After compiling 22 tackles in his first three seasons, he had a career year in 2022, totaling 30 tackles and one pass defended. 

Linebacker is now an are in need of depth in Lexington, as three of the four veteran leaders in the room are entering the NFL draft — DeAndre Square, Jacquez Jones and Jordan Wright. 

That fourth veteran LB, JJ Weaver, is yet to announce a decision on whether or not he will return.

Both Square and Jones fought injuries over the course of the season, meaning backups Trevin Wallace and D'Eryk Jackson saw a plethora of starting snaps, building their confidence as the future of the always stout Kentucky LB room. 

The addition of Soelle would add another experienced body on Brad White's defense.

Kentucky's Early Signing Period tracker can be found here.

Kentucky's transfer portal tracker can be found here.

Read what Mark Stoops said about new QB Devin Leary here.

Want the latest on national football and basketball recruiting, including Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the latest news, blogs, and updates about the nation's best prospects.

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