Kentucky Football has scored a massive win in the transfer portal, landing Ohio State Buckeyes guard Tegra Tshabola, one of the most experienced and in-demand offensive linemen available in the transfer portal.
CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz broke the news on Monday. It came following Tshabola’s weekend visit to Lexington.
Tshabola is a familiar name to fans who follow Kentucky recruiting closely. A standout at Lakota West High School in Cincinnati, he comes from a program that has sent multiple players to Kentucky,
most recently linebacker Alex Afari. Tshabola is also related to former Kentucky offensive tackle George Asafo-Adjei, another Lakota West product, giving the Wildcats long-standing ties to his football roots.
A 4-star recruit in high school, Tshabola was heavily pursued by Kentucky, but Vince Marrow and the Wildcats were unable to secure his commitment before he chose Ohio State. Even during his time in Columbus, there were frequent rumors that he could eventually make his way to Lexington through the transfer portal. Now, that possibility has become reality.
Tshabola began his career at offensive tackle before sliding inside to right guard, where he found his home. He started every game of Ohio State’s 2024 national championship season and held onto that role again this fall. In total, he leaves Columbus with 29 career starts and just under 1,500 snaps for the Buckeyes. He allowed one sack, one QB hit, and 10 hurries in 307 pass-blocking snaps this past season.
247 Sports has him ranked 91st overall and second among interior offensive linemen in the transfer portal. Kentucky also landed the top-ranked interior offensive lineman, Baylor center Coleton Price, so the Big Blue Wall is shaping up nicely for next season.
The veteran lineman has one year of eligibility remaining and drew strong interest from Auburn and Ole Miss before choosing Kentucky. His decision continues a clear trend: Kentucky is willing to spend big to rebuild the Big Blue Wall.
The Wildcats have also added All-SEC left tackle Lance Heard, the No. 25 overall player in the transfer portal (via 247 Sports). Tshabola now joins that group as another plug-and-play starter, giving Kentucky a powerful foundation up front heading into the new season.
