Tanner Lemaster Moves to Eastern Michigan After Leaving Kentucky
As the recruiting dead period rolls in and the winter transfer portal window nears its close, college football teams are scrambling to finalize their rosters for the upcoming season. Players are committing to new schools quickly, making key decisions about where they will continue their athletic and academic careers. One such player, former Kentucky tight end Tanner Lemaster, has found a new home at Eastern Michigan.
Lemaster, a product of Washington High School in Ohio, located between Cincinnati and Columbus, was a three-star recruit coming out of high school. He joined Kentucky’s football program as part of the 2023 class but took a redshirt year in his first season, allowing him to develop and adjust to the demands of collegiate football. During his redshirt freshman year in 2024, Lemaster participated in only three offensive snaps, earning SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition for his efforts in the classroom.
Now, as he enters his redshirt sophomore year, Lemaster will be transferring to Eastern Michigan, where he will have three years of eligibility remaining. The move to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) marks a fresh start for Lemaster as he looks to carve out a more prominent role in his new program.
At Kentucky, Lemaster’s departure leaves the Wildcats with four scholarship tight ends on their roster: Illinois transfer Henry Boyer, alongside Josh Kattus, Willie Rodriguez, and Mikkel Skinner. These players will now compete for playing time at a position where Lemaster had a limited impact.
Kentucky’s Transfer Portal Activity
Lemaster’s move to Eastern Michigan is part of a larger trend of transfers from Kentucky as the Wildcats look to reshape their roster. The transfer portal has been bustling with activity, and so far, a significant number of players have announced their intentions to find new teams. In total, 20 players have entered the portal this offseason, with some already finding their next college football homes.
Blessed pic.twitter.com/cDLHeJ5tuT
— Tanner Lemaster (@TannerLemaster_) December 23, 2024
Here’s a look at some of the notable transfers and where they’re headed:
- DL Keeshawn Silver: Committed to USC on December 19
- DB Avery Stuart
- LB Jayvant Brown
- TE Tanner Lemaster: Committed to Eastern Michigan on December 22
- TE Khamari Anderson: Committed to Arizona State on December 22
- TE Jordan Dingle: Committed to South Carolina on December 18
- OL Courtland Ford: Committed to UCLA on December 17
- OL Ben Christman
- OL Dylan Ray: Committed to Minnesota on December 21
- OL Koby Keenum: Committed to Mississippi State on December 22
- DL Tommy Ziesmer: Committed to EKU on December 15
- WR Dane Key
- WR Barion Brown: Committed to LSU on December 14
- WR Anthony Brown-Stephens
- WR Brandon White
- EDGE Tyreese Fearbry: Committed to Wisconsin on December 22
- EDGE Noah Matthews
- EDGE Caleb Redd: Committed to Kansas on December 20
- RB Chip Trayanum
- QB Gavin Wimsatt
As the portal continues to shape the future of college football rosters, the Wildcats’ ongoing roster changes highlight the fast-paced nature of the offseason and the challenges of maintaining competitive depth and talent across positions. Lemaster’s decision to move on from Kentucky serves as another example of the fluidity within college football, where players are looking for new opportunities to thrive at the next level.
