Players from Kentucky with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 30% of roster spots in 2016 and 11% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 34 of 115 roster spots were filled by Kentucky players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 12 of 111 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 2 to 40.
The median hometown distance moved from 234 mi in 2016 to 317 mi on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 25.1% | 23.9% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 1.8% | 17.2% |
The 2026 roster
- 458 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 102 located players.
- 12.6%In-state12.6% of players with a known home state are from Kentucky.
- 17.6%Backyard17.6% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 36.0%Previously rostered elsewhere36.0% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Kentucky ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Kentucky's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 111 | 12.6% | 36.0% | 317 mi |
| 2025 | 114 | 21.9% | 28.1% | 295 mi |
| 2024 | 114 | 27.4% | 21.9% | 280 mi |
| 2023 | 118 | 29.9% | 16.9% | 252 mi |
| 2022 | 117 | 27.0% | 11.1% | 271 mi |
| 2021 | 126 | 28.6% | 7.9% | 277 mi |
| 2020 | 126 | 24.1% | 4.8% | 295 mi |
| 2019 | 114 | 23.0% | 3.5% | 291 mi |
| 2018 | 116 | 23.7% | 0.9% | 283 mi |
| 2017 | 111 | 22.7% | 2.7% | 262 mi |
| 2016 | 115 | 29.6% | 1.7% | 234 mi |
| 2015 | 103 | 20.4% | 1.0% | 292 mi |
| 2014 | 123 | 32.8% | 0.8% | 234 mi |
| 2013 | 115 | 28.3% | 0.9% | 290 mi |
| 2012 | 110 | 29.6% | 0.0% | 250 mi |
| 2011 | 113 | 37.5% | 0.0% | 237 mi |
| 2010 | 114 | 34.2% | 0.0% | 250 mi |
| 2009 | 110 | 35.5% | 0.0% | 187 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 317 mi