Players to watch in the upcoming Kentucky 2026 Spring game

The inaugural spring game of the Will Stein era for the Kentucky Wildcats is set for Saturday, Apr. 18 at 11 A.M. ET. Since Stein and his coaching staff got to Lexington, there has been a different level of excitement in the air around the bluegrass. This football team will have a contrasting style to what we have been accustom to from the Mark Stoops regime. Here are a few players I will have an eye on this Saturday, some familiar names and some new arrivals.

QB Kenny Minchey

Everybody is curious to see how Kenny Minchey will look in Will Stein's offensive scheme, and the spring game will be his debut as the quarterback for the Wildcats. All quarterbacks that have been under Stein's tutelage have found success despite all being different stylistically; I believe Minchey's game is most comparable to current Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore. On Saturday, we get to see Minchey make different types of throws as well as see how he can play on time and in rhythm. Not only that, we will also get a glimpse of which pass catchers emerge.

WR DJ Miller

Speaking of emerging pass catchers, I have a feeling that DJ Miller could ultimately become Minchey's go-to guy on the outside. Expect tight end Willie Rodriguez to become a focal point of the pass game as well, but from a wide receiver perspective, Miller showed great flashes last season as a true freshman. He has the athleticism to play inside and out in this system. Miller can take that next step if he can become a consistent route runner.

HB Martels Carter

Martels Carter switched sides of the football this spring because of depth at running back, and reports have indicated that the former safety has turned some heads since making the move to offense. Carter clearly has something at this spot since Stein decided to try him out on the other side of the ball. He has the athleticism and size at 6'0, 205-pounds to potentially crack the running back rotation this fall. It will be interesting to see if he pops when watching him compete at Kroger Field on Saturday.

ED Antonio O'Berry

Antonio O'Berry had some big time programs after him in the transfer portal before he ultimately decided to come to Lexington. The 6'6, 244-pound defender has ideal length on the edge and was disruptive at Gardner Webb. We know he has the makeup to be a high level edge player, but how well his strength and speed translate to SEC play remains the question. Hopefully we will get to see some one-on-one reps against left tackle Lance Heard to get answers to that question.

LB Elijah "Bo" Barnes

Elijah Barnes was one of the biggest transfer portal gets for Will Stein and his coaching staff. A four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, Barnes has elite tools that are hard to find at off ball linebacker. After one season at Texas, I imagine he improved his strength to match his excellent speed at his size. Barnes will be flying from sideline to sideline on Saturday and in the fall; the Wildcats desperately need him to make an immediate impact on defense.

CB Hasaan Sykes

Hasaan Sykes seems to be the favorite to be the corner opposite of Terhyon Nichols when the season rolls around. Saturday will allow us to see if this scheme from defensive coordinator Jay Bateman has one corner dedicated to the shortened boundary side and one to the larger field side, similar to the old regime. Sykes has a bit more length than Nichols, and with their different skillsets they could become a formidable duo. The cornerback room is arguably the biggest question mark on the roster entering the season.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky football Spring game: Key players to watch on Saturday