Northern Illinois transfer Marques Cox could be just what Cats need at left tackle

For the second time in three seasons Kentucky likely will have a starting left tackle from the transfer portal.

During the 10-win season in 2021, LSU transfer Dare Rosenthal solidified the line after getting to UK and now coach Mark Stoops is counting on Northern Illinois offensive tackle Marques Cox to do the same thing.

Cox actually ended his 2022 season in Lexington. He opened the season as Northern Illinois’ starting left tackle but was injured in the fourth game at Kentucky and did not play again. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

The Peoria, Ill., product  was a three-star high school prospect and was ranked among the nation’s top 125 offensive tackles in his recruiting class. He had offers from Ball State, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Toledo and Western Illinois along with Northern Illinois.

He started 33 games for the Huskies — 10 in 2019, six in 2020, 14 in 2021 and three in 2022.  He earned fourth team all-conference honors in 2021 when Northern Illinois averaged 241 yards rushing per game, the fourth best mark in the FBS.

Earlier Glasgow High School product Tanner Bowles transferred from Alabama where he had been a backup offensive lineman to UK.

Kenneth Horsey moved from left guard to left tackle early last season when UK was struggling at left tackle. If he takes a COVID year and returns, Kentucky could have a much better offense line than it had in 2022. Eli Cox returns at center and Jager Burton is back at left guard after starting as a redshirt freshman. Starting right tackle Jeremy Flax and Deondre Buford, who started a game at both left and right tackle, will also be back.

Justin Rowland of Rivals.com tweeted that Cox could be “one of the most important additions” UK could add and his commitment could lead to Kentucky soon getting a quarterback in the transfer portal.

It definitely could lead to Vanderbilt running back Raymond Davis picking UK. He’s in the transfer portal and had a huge game against UK last season. He noted Cox’s arrival on Twitter and when a fan posted Cox could make holes for Davis, the running back responded, “Yes sir big ones.”

Cox’s commitment also shows that while some fans wanted to criticize first-year offensive line coach Zach Yenser, recruits obviously like what he can do as a coach.