JUSTIN ROWLAND:

My pick for the position unit that's in focus for Kentucky to reach its potential is the defensive line. You have Deone Walker up front, an All-American to anchor the defensive front. That means you have the potential to be a serious problem for opponents at the line of scrimmage. He's on track to be a high draft pick and just needs enough healthy talent around him to maximize his effectiveness, but we know that in the spring they didn't have that. With veteran Josiah Hayes out with an injury, every other player is more important. I think the pieces are in place for Kentucky to have one of the nation's top 10-15 defenses, and that's their best path to having a great season. I could go offensive line, but they need the great defense to carry them this year.

JEFF DRUMMOND:

Justin and I have executed the yin/yang plan for this one. Like him, I'm staying in the trenches, but I will cast my vote for the offensive line. In order to make full use of the impressive skill position talent at the disposal of first-year offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan, the big guys up front need to get back to "Big Blue Wall" status this season. I think Mark Stoops knew this when he set ego aside and initiated a reunion with former O-Line coach Eric Wolford. This unit has a wealth of experience in UK veterans like Eli Cox, Marques Cox, Jager Burton, Courtland Ford, and Dylan Ray, and they will be joined by an influx of proven SEC transfer portal talent like Gerald Mincey (Tennessee) and Jalen Farmer (Florida). Another "new" addition comes in the form of Ben Christman (Ohio State) who missed the 2023 campaign after a preseason knee injury. If Warford gets these guys playing to their potential, Hamdan will have an opportunity to engineer perhaps the most balanced offensive attack of the Stoops era.