The Kentucky Wildcats may get a chance to add Tamarcus Cooley to their roster next season. The Knightdale, NC native stands at 5-foot-11 and was a key cornerback for the NC State Wolfpack last season.
The Wolfpack lost to the East Carolina Pirates 26-21 in the Military Bowl this season, and many opted to transfer after a disappointing 10th-place finish in the ACC. NC State was just 3-5 in conference play and 6-7 on the season.
As for Cooley, he is set to visit numerous SEC schools in the coming week. LSU, Ole Miss, Missouri, and Kentucky are among them. He’ll be in Lexington to visit with the Wildcats next Saturday, according to 247 Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Here’s the breakdown of where he will be in the coming days.
Cooley was a 3-star prospect and ranked as the 27th-best player coming from the state of North Carolina in the class of 2023. He played his freshman season with Maryland and then joined NC State last season, so he’s already transferred once.
Cooley ended with 39 combined tackles, one sack, three interceptions, and a fumble returned for 70 yards this past season. According to PFF, Cooley registered a standout 80.8 defensive grade and an 81.8 coverage grade this season. That coverage mark ranked 21st among 546 cornerbacks who played in a Power Five conference this season.
Cooley has the talent to be a leader in Mark Stoops’ system, and with the Wildcats having developed numerous talented defensive backs in the last few seasons, it would be an ideal fit all around if he chose to spend this upcoming season in Lexington.
