1. DEANDRE BUFORD OT/JEREMY FLAX, OT - I've lumped these guys together as they represent the biggest question mark on the offensive side of the football entering the 2022 season. The Wildcats lost two of the better offensive tackles in the SEC in the form of Darian Kinnard and Dare Rosenthal, who are likely to be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft. Replacing them won't be easy, but when you've established the culture and standard of the "Big Blue Wall," the expectation is for the next man up to be ready. UK will likely turn to a pair of former four-star prospects from Detroit for the first shot at those jobs. Buford (6-3, 315, Soph.) is being touted for the strength he's added to an athletic frame at left tackle, while Flax (6-6, 330, Jr.) has slimmed down and, after two years in the program, is looking like he's ready to fulfill the promise he showed as a high-profile juco prospect. Both also seem to be thriving under the tutelage of new O-Line coach Zach Yenser, who has a different approach and demeanor from former assistant Eric Wolford.

2. ANDRU PHILLIPS, CB - The other major position under the microscope as spring practice opened was cornerback. It's the thinnest spot on an otherwise deep and balanced UK roster. We know junior Carrington Valentine is penciled in at one of the starting roles, but the other has been up for grabs. It sounds like the 6-foot, 183-pound Phillips has taken advantage of the opportunity. The former four-star prospect from South Carolina is playing with more confidence as a sophomore after a couple of good years in the strength and conditioning program. His name has popped up more frequently than any other defensive back this spring when coaches and players talk about pass break-ups and interceptions. The Cats still want to find another corner in the transfer portal, but they'll feel much better about the group as a whole if Phillips continues to trend upward.

3. TAYVION ROBINSON, WR - Unlike the first two entries on this list, Robinson is a more proven entity after transferring to UK from Virginia Tech, where he caught 44 passes for 559 yards and five touchdowns last season in an offense that wasn't exactly flinging the ball around too much. (The Hokies finished 112th nationally in passing offense.) The intrigue here is whether the Cats' new wide receiver can follow in the same footsteps as Wan'Dale Robinson a year ago and take his game to a new level with Will Levis as his quarterback. It sounds like a lot to put on the newcomer's shoulders, but remember, Wan'Dale Robinson caught 51 passes for 461 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore at Nebraska before blowing up as an elite offensive weapon with 104 receptions for 1,334 yards and seven touchdowns last season for UK.

4. JUSTIN ROGERS, NT - The most decorated signee for the Cats during the "Rivals Era" of high school football recruiting rankings, Rogers is poised for a bigger role this season after serving as a quality backup for Quinton Bohanna and Marquan McCall the last two years. The 6-foot-3, 330-pound Detroit native is competing with Josaih Hayes at the important nose tackle spot in Brad White's 3-4 defense. He's drawn praise from the staff this spring for his maturity and daily work ethic toward his craft. If he can play to his 5-star pedigree, it makes the UK defense extremely solid "up the middle" with nose tackle, inside linebacker, and safety being areas of strength. As an added bonus in the spring game, we get to see him work against new UK center Eli Cox, which may be the best one-on-one battle of the day.

1. LA'VELL WRIGHT RB - He's not going to start. He won't be the backup. He might not even be third string. Then again, he's one of the most intriguing players on the roster who we haven't seen much of. In very limited duty last year - and I mean very, very limited duty - he looked very interesting. That combination of size, speed at the second level, and catching ability makes Wright a really fascinating player. Not so much for this season, but rather for the future, I'm interested in seeing what he can do, and you know the backups will see plenty of time.

2. DANE KEY WR - When the 2022 class signed I made the prediction that of all the receivers UK was bringing in this offseason, high school or transfer, Key will be the one who ultimately has the most production in a blue and white uniform. Local guys tend to turn out to be contributors and I like the combination of size and speed on the outside. I've heard enough and enough has been reported that it's safe to say Key has looked pretty good this spring, and he could be a play right away guy. I'd just caution that with so much receiver talent still to arrive, we don't know what the pecking order will look like. But with Will Levis needing to turn a lot of those throws to Wan'Dale into passes spread out to a deeper cast of receivers, Key should have opportunities.

3. JJ WEAVER, OLB - It was so impressive that Weaver came back on the timeline that he did last year. But in hindsight, he didn't seem to be 100%, or at least he wasn't quite the same form that had so many people talking about him as a Day 1 or 2 draft pick eventually. I think Weaver is still a good 10-15 pounds away from his peak football physique but that 80% from last year should be back to 100%. There are players with immense experience on this defense and there are younger players with talent who need to step up. But in Weaver, you have a guy with tremendous talent and solid experience who has the opportunity to really impact games. So I'm ready to see where he's at and what he looks like.

4. TREVIN WALLACE, ILB - He was one of the best-looking prospects that Kentucky has signed in the Mark Stoops era and didn't really disappoint as a true freshman, making a real impact in pressure situations. With so much depth around him in the inside linebacker room there's probably a ceiling on the number of snaps Wallace will eventually secure for himself this year, but he's a dynamic athlete who will be one of UK's most talented defensive players, so they'll need him on the field a lot.