It’s officially, official. Tight end Willie Rodriguez is returning to play for Will Stein at Kentucky.

Rodriguez, a Kentucky native and Covington Catholic product, was a big four-star recruiting win who Tennessee tried to pry away from the Bluegrass. He stuck to his roots and has contributed ever since. After playing in every game as a true freshman, he caught 23 passes for 310 yards and one touchdown in 2025.

Rodriguez ranked third on the team in receiving. He was the first Kentucky tight end with 300+ yards in a season since CJ Conrad in 2018.

There were early signs we shared on KSR Plus that things were trending toward a return, but things can change quickly when the transfer portal is open. In this case, nothing changed. Rodriguez is back for his third year.

“He’s a really good player. The vision is we’re going to throw him the ball, and Willie knows that. I’ve shown him many ways,” offensive coordinator Joe Sloan said last month, drawing laughter from the audience of media members.

“Willie is a really good talent. He’s a really good talent. I think when you look at both Coach Stein’s offense at Oregon and what we did at LSU, the tight end has been a focal point of the offense in the passing game. I think you can create really good matchups with tight ends.”

That’s not just lip service from the new Kentucky offensive coordinator. Stein has one of the most productive tight ends in America playing for him in Eugene. Kenyon Sadiq earned First Team All-Big Ten honors after picking up 531 yards and leading Oregon in receptions (46) and touchdowns (8).

Sadiq is a special talent, but Rodriguez can present similar mismatches for opponents in the SEC. After clamoring to see the tight end used more in the Kentucky offense, the Cats have a coach and a player who can make it happen.

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