The Kentucky staff has done it again. After landing David Gusta and Troy Stellato earlier in this second portal window, Kentucky added South Dakota edge transfer Mi’Quise Grace. The 6’4 and 255-pound edge rusher is a Cincinnati native, an importance piece when considering Vince Marrow’s connections with that area. Kirby Smart tried to pull Grace away from the Bluegrass State, and Mississippi State was involved as always, but Marrow landed one of the top ten players available in the portal. Why did some of the top schools in America want an FCS player? Let’s see why Grace will be such a valuable piece for the 2025 edition of the Kentucky defense.
Player Background
Grace was an unranked recruit coming out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Grace played sparingly as a true freshman, with most of his snaps coming in a loss to Missouri State where Grace had four pressures and a tackle. Grace became a true rotational piece in year two putting up 24 pressures, 7 sacks, 19 tackles, and 5 batted passes in 2023. Grace became a starter for the Coyotes in 2024 where he tallied 34 pressures, 11 sacks, 44 tackles, 3 batted passes, 2 forced fumbles, and a scoop-and-score in route to FCS All-American and Missouri Valley Defensive Player of the Year selections. Grace has the numbers of an SEC starter if he can adjust to this level of physicality.
Program Fit
While Grace can get after the quarterback at a high level, he fills a huge need in the Kentucky edge room. The Cats hadn’t found a true three-down Jack linebacker, but Grace projects to take this place. He posted a 90.5 PFF grade in run defense due to his intelligence in diagnosing runs and using his hands to disengage blockers. Grace shows the ability to spill runs (go inside the defensive lineman to set the edge) and the athleticism to contain the quarterback when necessary. At 6’4 and 255 pounds, Grace constantly demands double teams and chips as he is too strong for most linemen to go one on one. He converts speed to power at a high level, though I would like to see him bend the corner more often as he transitions into Brad White’s defense.
Position Outlook
One reason bending the corner isn’t necessary is Kameron Olds. The Kent State transfer will be a nice complimentary piece to Grace as he shows real juice and flexibility getting around the edge to create pressure. Olds is experienced in the FBS level who played against SEC competition during his time at KSU. These two should form a formidable duo on the outside of the defensive line with the compliment of Grace’s all-around game and Olds’ ability to create havoc. Sam Greene, the first transfer added this cycle, will get another year of development while playing a rotational role behind two veterans. The edge room should be completed now, and Grace, Olds, and Greene are an excellent way to bounce back after losing all of the production from a season ago.
