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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Kentucky

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01/09/23 - J.J. Weaver, rSr/2025, Kentucky + More +

Kentucky football's defense got a lift Sunday afternoon. Fourth-year junior linebacker JJ Weaver announced on social media he'll return for his senior season. "This what's best for me!!" his tweet said in part. A third-team All-Southeastern Conference pick and team captain in 2022, Weaver finished with 47 tackles (six for loss), three sacks and two forced fumbles for a Wildcats defense that ranked 11th in the nation before the Music City Bowl.

Arguably his best game came in the regular-season finale against Louisville, when he posted seven tackles, a TFL, a sack, a forced fumble and a pass breakup in a 26-13 win. Weaver went through senior day festivities but hadn't announced his intentions at the time. Weaver started a career-high nine games (out of 11 played) in 2022 and has started 16 of 35 games in his career. He had six sacks in 2021, a career high, after tearing his ACL in November 2020. - Courier Journal

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DE J.J. Weaver, Kentucky
News Source: Courier Journal
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01/06/23 - Kenneth Horsey, rSr/2024, Kentucky + More +

Kentucky football's most experienced offensive lineman is returning for the 2023 season. Senior Kenneth Horsey announced Thursday he will use the extra year of eligibility granted all players during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to return to Kentucky. Horsey spent the 2022 season as the Wildcats' primary left tackle but is expected to move back to his natural guard position next season. UK coaches have spoken of Horsey as a piece for the 2023 offensive line since the last month of the regular season, but Horsey told reporters before the Music City Bowl he had not made a final decision about his future.

"I know it's my responsibility as a captain to make sure everything is still running smooth, no matter who's playing and who's not playing," Horsey said then. "It's my responsibility and the older guys' responsibility to make sure everybody, the younger guys understand how they need to practice, how they need to prepare. I have time to make that decision stuff later." A team captain, Horsey has appeared in 37 games with 33 consecutive starts in those appearances. He primarily played guard in 2019, 2020 and 2021, but moved to left tackle in 2022 after former starter Dare Rosenthal left school early to declare for the NFL Draft and several younger linemen proved they were not ready to take over the position. - Herald Leader

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OG Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky
News Source: Herald Leader
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12/20/22 - Devin Leary, rSr/2024, Kentucky + More +

Potential No. 1 draft pick Will Levis left Kentucky at the end of the season to begin preparing for his pro career, but the transfer portal just might produce a ready replacement. According to multiple reports, North Carolina State transfer quarterback Devin Leary is headed to the Wildcats after receiving significant interest since the regular season ended. Kentucky won't have Levis or running back Chris Rodriguez in the Music City Bowl on New Year's Eve, serving in a coaching role instead.

Leary threw for 3,433 yards with 35 touchdowns and just five interceptions in 2021 but played only six games in 2022. Leary has one year of eligibility remaining after a productive four-year career with the Wolfpack. He tore a pectoral muscle on Oct. 8 and finished the 2022 season with 1,265 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions in six games. Leary completed 60.2 percent of his passes for 6,807 yards, with 62 touchdowns and 16 interceptions across 30 games from 2019-22. He also scored five rushing touchdowns. - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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QB Devin Leary, Kentucky
News Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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12/18/22 - *Carrington Valentine, Jr/2023, Kentucky + More +

Carrington Valentine's Kentucky football career is over. Valentine, a two-year starter at cornerback for the Wildcats, has decided to forego his final year of NCAA eligibility and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft, he announced Thursday via social media. The junior from Cincinnati joins quarterback Will Levis and running back Chris Rodriguez in sitting out of UK's Music City Bowl matchup against Iowa on New Year's Eve. After thanking those who helped him on his journey from Moeller High School to Lexington in a statement posted to Twitter, Valentine said, "I truly believe that I have accomplished all there is to accomplish at the collegiate level." "I wish all of my teammates the best of luck in the Music City Bowl," Valentine wrote. "We have forged some of the most memorable moments together. I will truly miss each and every one of you."

A three-star recruit in the Class of 2020, Valentine appeared in 35 games (25 starts) across three seasons with Kentucky. For his career, the 6-foot, 194-pound cornerback amassed 119 total tackles (87 unassisted), 17 pass breakups, a forced fumble, three tackles for loss and two sacks. His lone interception came during a Week 3 win against Youngstown State, and he also recovered a fumble during a Week 11 loss to Vanderbilt. Valentine's departure means Kentucky will be looking to replace both its starting cornerbacks from the 2022 season. The other starter, Ole Miss transfer Keidron Smith, has exhausted his NCAA eligibility after one season with the Wildcats. - Courier Journal

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CB *Carrington Valentine, Kentucky
News Source: Courier Journal
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12/17/22 - JaMori Maclin, rJr/2026, Kentucky + More +

2022 CONFERENCE USA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM: WR: Ja'Mori Maclin, North Texas,...The conference also released its All-Freshman team, which included Gumms, wide receiver Ja'Mori Maclin, offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu, defensive lineman Cam Robertson and defensive lineman Fatafehi Vailea. - North Texas Football

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WR JaMori Maclin, Kentucky
News Source: North Texas Football
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12/14/22 - Jantzen Dunn, rJr/2026, Kentucky + More +

Ohio State football has its third entrant into the transfer portal. Safety Jantzen Dunn announced Tuesday on Twitter that he entered the transfer portal after two seasons with the Buckeyes. Dunn is Ohio State's third player to enter the transfer portal after the 2022 regular season, joining safety Jaylen Johnson and linebacker Teradja Mitchell. Dunn was a four-star safety out of Bowling Green, Kentucky, enrolling into the program in January 2021. He was the No. 10 safety in the 2021 class and the second-ranked player out of Kentucky behind offensive lineman Jager Burton. Dunn held offers from Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Texas and Southern California, among others. - Columbus Dispatch

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CB Jantzen Dunn, Kentucky
News Source: Columbus Dispatch
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12/09/22 - Deone Walker, Jr/2026, Kentucky + More +

2022 SEC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM: DL Deone Walker, Kentucky,...Postseason honors continue to roll in for Walker, a 6-6, 330-pounder from Detroit. He finished the regular season with 39 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, five quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and one forced fumble. He has been named to the Pro Football Focus True Freshman All-America Team, the College Football News All-America First Team and was recently named the SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week on Nov. 28 for his role in UK's 26-13 win over intrastate rival Louisville. - Kentucky Football

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DT Deone Walker, Kentucky
News Source: Kentucky Football
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12/09/22 - Will Levis, rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

Kentucky football will play its bowl game without star quarterback Will Levis. Levis, who played through injuries for most of the 2022 season, announced Wednesday he would opt out of the Wildcats' bowl game in order to focus on returning to 100% in advance of the 2023 NFL Draft. Levis is widely projected as a first-round draft pick and one of the top quarterbacks in the draft class. Kentucky is scheduled to face Iowa in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 31 in Nashville.

Despite playing just two seasons for Kentucky, Levis ranks fifth in program history in passing touchdowns (43) and total offensive yards (5,502) and sixth in passing yards (5,233). His 3,203 yards of total offense in 2021 were sixth most by a Wildcat in a single season. Kentucky was 17-7 in games Levis started at quarterback. He was behind center for just the second 10-win season for Kentucky since 1977 in his first season as starter. Levis started two wins against Florida and two wins against Louisville. - Herald Leader

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QB Will Levis, Kentucky
News Source: Herald Leader
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12/09/22 - Barion Brown, Jr/2026, Kentucky + More +

2022 SEC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM: WR/AP/KR Barion Brown, Kentucky,...Brown, a 6-foot-1, 166-pounder from Nashville, led the Wildcats this season with 45 catches for 604 yards and four scores, averaging 13.4 yards per catch. His four touchdowns receiving are the second-most by a freshman in school history, behind only teammate Dane Key's record of six. He also led the team in kick return yardage with 15 returns for 424 yards and one score, averaging 28.3 yards per return. He ranked fifth in the SEC in receiving yards per game (50.33) and was eighth in receptions per game (3.75). - Kentucky Football

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WR Barion Brown, Kentucky
News Source: Kentucky Football
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12/09/22 - Jager Burton, rJr/2026, Kentucky + More +

2022 SEC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM: OL Jager Burton, Kentucky,...Burton, a 6-4, 301-pound Lexington, Kentucky native, started all 12 games at left guard and helped running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. average 113.0 rushing yards per game. Burton became the first UK freshman offensive lineman to start all 12 games since Zach West in 2012 and he is the first Wildcat offensive linemen to earn Freshman All-SEC honors since Logan Stenberg in 2016. In 12 games, he played 803 snaps and had 25 knockdowns. - Kentucky Football

rJr/2026

OG Jager Burton, Kentucky
News Source: Kentucky Football
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12/08/22 - Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Sr/2025, Kentucky + More +

2022 BUTKUS AWARD FINALIST: Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia,...Associated Press All-SEC 2nd Team...has started at LB in all 13 games to date...tied with S. Mondon as the team's leading tackler with 64 total stops, including 8.0 tackles for loss (leads team) and 3.0 QB sacks (tied for team high)...also has 21 QB hurries, third-most on the team. - Georgia Football

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ILB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kentucky
News Source: Georgia Football
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12/08/22 - Chris Rodriguez Jr., rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. says on social media that he will skip the Music City Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft. The senior's announcement Thursday on his Instagram account comes a day after Wildcats quarterback Will Levis announced he would miss the Dec. 31 contest against Iowa to get ready for next spring's draft. Rodriguez leaves as Kentucky's No. 3 career rusher with 3,644 yards and 32 touchdowns, including 904 with six scores this fall despite missing the first four games of the season.

He pleaded guilty in July to driving under the influence. He ranked sixth in SEC rushing this fall. Rodriguez thanked Kentucky fans in the post and said while he won't play in the game, "I'll be in the Music City to support my brothers and hope to see you there." The native of McDonough, Georgia, was an Associated Press All-SEC first team selection as a junior after erupting for 1,379 yards rushing to help Kentucky win 10 games for the second time in four years. He surpassed 100 yards rushing five times this fall and broke Benny Snell Jr's school record with 20. - AP College Football

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RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
News Source: AP College Football
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12/08/22 - Keidron Smith, rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

2022 ALL-SEC SECOND TEAM (COACHES): DB Keidron Smith, Kentucky,...Smith, a 6-foot-2, 204-pounder from West Pam Beach, Florida, transferred to Kentucky in 2022 for his graduate transfer season and made an immediate impact. He started 11 of 12 games for Kentucky, including the last 11, intercepting a pair of passes. He tallied 43 tackles in the regular season, 0.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and one fumble recovery.

He had a massive play in UK's win over then-No. 12/19 Florida, returning to his home state and stepping in front of an Anthony Richardson pass, then returning it 65 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. He added his second interception against Vanderbilt. In his return to Oxford, Mississippi to face Ole Miss he charted six tackles. For his career, he has played in 59 games, starting 40 of those, with seven career interceptions. - Kentucky Football

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CB Keidron Smith, Kentucky
News Source: Kentucky Football
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12/07/22 - Will Levis, rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

Kentucky quarterback Will Levis announced Wednesday on social media he will declare for the NFL draft and skip the Wildcats' upcoming Music City Bowl against Iowa. Projected as a first-round selection next spring, Levis completed 65% of his passes for 2,406 yards and 19 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 11 games for Kentucky (7-5). The Penn State transfer won 17 games over two seasons at Kentucky. He thanked Wildcat coaches, teammates and fans in his Twitter post and expressed gratitude for helping him find confidence, success and lasting friendships at the university. The senior Levis was a preseason All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection after passing for 2,826 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 376 yards and nine touchdowns. - AP College Football

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QB Will Levis, Kentucky
News Source: AP College Football
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12/05/22 - Devin Leary, rSr/2024, Kentucky + More +

North Carolina State quarterback Devin Leary plans to enter his name into the transfer portal for his final season of eligibility. Leary tweeted a statement announcing his decision on Monday. He suffered a season-ending injury in October after being named preseason Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. Leary threw for 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns with four interceptions in six games. The Wolfpack went on to start three other quarterbacks after Leary’s injury, including first-year passer MJ Morris. Leary played four seasons for the Wolfpack, throwing for 35 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2021. - AP College Football

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