"He hadn't shown glimpses (of transferring)," sophomore defensive tackle Deone Walker said. "He never really showed, 'I'm out of here,' like some transfers do."
Rogers, who started every game at nose guard for the Wildcats last season, was considered the team's best pro prospect — behind quarterback Will Levis — in some NFL draft circles.
With Rogers' departure, Kentucky has moved on. That's in large part because of two players expected to fill the void: Walker (6-foot-6, 348 pounds) and third-year sophomore Keeshawn Silver (6-4, 322), who spent the past two seasons at North Carolina.