Tag: Kentucky

2024 NFL Draft: Underclassmen Tracker

by James Layton

It’s that time of the year again where players start to declare for the NFL Draft. But if you’re not formular with who can declare here who can.

Any college player that has completed four years of college eligibility, as distinguished from those who had a redshirt year, will be considered eligible for the 2024 draft unless a player submits a request to not be considered for the draft to the league by Feb. 2. Underclassmen must be out of high school for at least three seasons before they can request the NFL’s approval for special draft eligibility.

Let’s get into who’s declared.

Updated 12/25/23

Offense

  • Braelon Allen, RB Junior Wisconsin
  • Joe Alt, OT Junior Notre Dame
  • Javon Antonio, WR RS-Senior Colorado
  • Emani Bailey, RB Junior TCU
  • Keon Coleman, WR Junior Florida State
  • Jayden Daniels, QB RS-Senior LSU
  • Ray Davis, RB RS-Senior Kentucky
  • Kingsley Eguakun, C RS-Junior Florida
  • Audric Estime, RB Junior Notre Dame
  • Troy Frank, WR Junior Oregon
  • Frank Gore Jr, RB Junior Southern Mississippi
  • Tyler Guyton, OT RS-Junior Oklahoma
  • Kenneth Horsey, G RS-Senior Kentucky
  • Bucky Irving, RB Junior Oregon
  • Theo Johnson, TE Junior Penn State
  • Jawhar Jordan, RB RS-Junior Louisville
  • Mike Katic, G RS-Senior Indiana
  • MarShawn Lloyd, RB RS-Senior USC
  • Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, RB RS-Junior UMass
  • Drake Maye, QB Junior North Carolina
  • Patrick Paul, OT RS-Junior Houston
  • Ricky Pearsall, WR RS-Senior Florida
  • Jackson Powers-Johnson, C Junior Oregon
  • Michael Pratt, QB RS-Junior Tulane
  • Spencer Rattler, QB RS-Senior South Carolina
  • Andrew Raym, C Senior Oklahoma
  • Tip Reiman, TE RS-Junior Illinois
  • Brandon Rice, WR Senior USC
  • Kurtis Rourke, QB RS-Junior Ohio
  • Jaden Shirden, RB Junior Monmouth
  • Jamari Thrash, WR RS-Senior Louisville
  • Devaughn Vele, WR RS-Junior Utah
  • Tez Walker, WR Junior North Carolina
  • Isaiah Williams, WR Junior Illinois
  • Miyan Williams, RB Senior Ohio State
  • Johnny Wilson, WR RS-Junior Florida State
  • Jaylen Wright, RB Junior Tennessee

Defense

  • Evan Anderson, DL Junior Florida Atlantic
  • Cole Bishop, S Junior Utah
  • Omar Brown, S Senior Nebraska
  • Edgerrin Cooper, LB RS-Junior Texas A&M
  • Cedric Gray, LB Senior North Carolina
  • Marcus Harris, DL Senior Auburn
  • McKinnley Jackson, DL Senior Texas A&M
  • Kamren Kinchens, S Junior Miami (FL)
  • Marist Liufau, LB RS-Junior Notre Dame
  • Derrick McLendon II, LB RS-Senior Colorado
  • Max Melton, CB Junior Rutgers
  • Jarius Monroe, DL Senior Tulane
  • Quinton Newsome, CB Senior Nebraska
  • Jer’zhan Newton, DL RS-Senior Illinois
  • Chop Robinson, Edge Junior Penn State
  • Keith Rudolph Jr, DL RS-Junior Illinois
  • Leonard Taylor III, DL Junior Miami (FL)
  • Jeremiah Trotter Jr, LB Junior Clemson
  • Sione Vaki, S Sophomore Utah
  • Nate Wiggins, CB Junior Clemson
  • James Williams, S Junior Miami (FL)

Special Teams

  • Cam Little, K/P Junior Arkansas

College Games to Watch Week 1

By Barb Layton

College football season has arrived again for another year. There are so many things we can enjoy about football and especially the rivalries of the different conferences.

So, let’s get started on seeing some of these games.

Thursday, 8/31
Kent State@ UCF 7:00
Nebraska@ Minnesota 8:00

Friday, 9/1
Central Michigan@ Michigan State 7:00
Louisville@ Georgia Tech 7:30

Saturday, 9/2
Colorado@ TCU 12:00
Ball State@ Kentucky 12:00
New Mexico@ Texas A&M 7:00
West Virginia@ Penn State 7:30

Sunday, 9/3
LSU@ Florida State 7:30

Monday, 9/4
Clemson @ Duke 8:00

2023 NFL Draft: February Top 10 Quarterbacks Rankings

by Barb Layton

This is my first position rankings for the year. I am thinking the quarterbacks may be better than I thought before I watched some of them.

So here is my first list:

  1. CJ Stroud, Ohio State
  2. Bryce Young, Alabama
  3. Will Levis, Kentucky
  4. Anthony Richardson, Florida
  5. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
  6. Jaren Hall, BYU
  7. Cameron Ward, Washington State
  8. Tanner McKee, Stanford
  9. Jake Haener, Fresno State
  10. Clayton Tune, Houston

Top College Games for Week 5

by James Layton

It’s another great week of college football. This a good week of SEC games headlined by Alabama at Arkansas. The Big Ten also has a couple good matchups like Michigan at Iowa.

Let’s see if Kansas can stay undefeated this week as they take on Iowa State. My score prediction is Iowa State 24 Kansas 41.

Let’s get into the games for this week.

  • #4 Michigan @ Iowa 12:00 pm EST Fox
  • #7 Kentucky @ #14 Ole Miss 12:00 pm EST ESPN
  • Illinois @ Wisconsin 12:00 pm EST BTN
  • #2 Alabama @ #20 Arkansas 3:30 pm EST ABC
  • #9 Oklahoma State @ #23 Florida State 3:30 pm EST ABC
  • Iowa State @ Kansas 3:30 pm EST ESPN 2
  • Cincinnati @ Tulsa 7:30 pm EST ESPNU
  • #10 NC State @ #5 Clemson 7:30 pm EST ABC
  • West Virginia @ Texas 7:30 pm EST FS1

Draft Prospects to Watch in Today’s Games Week 2

by James Layton

This a good week to get a good look at some of the Quarterback prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft. Four of the top ten Quarterbacks are going against some good defenses.

Some of the players I really want to get a better look at this week are DL Calijah Kancy (Pittsburgh), QB Hendon Hooker (Tennessee), Edge Will McDonald (Iowa State), and Safety Demani Richardson.

Let’s get in to the Prospects.

Appalachian State @ Texas A&M

Appalachian State

  • Nick Hampton, LB
  • Steven Jones Jr, CB
  • Camerun Peoples, RB

Texas A&M

  • Myles Jones, CB
  • Demani Richardson, S
  • Ainias Smith, WR

#24 Tennessee @ #17 Pittsburgh

Tennessee

  • Jeremy Banks, LB
  • Jerome Carvin, OL
  • Princeton Fant, TE
  • Trevon Flowers, S
  • Hendon Hooker, QB
  • Cedric Tillman, WR
  • Darnell Wright, OL
  • Byron Young, Edge

Pittsburgh

  • Habakkuk Baldonado, Edge
  • Sirvocea Dennis, LB
  • Marcus Minor, OL
  • Kedon Slovis, QB
  • Carter Warren, OT
  • Marquis Williams, CB
  • MJ Devonshire, CB
  • John Morgan III, DE
  • Calijah Kancy, DT
  • Bangally Kamara, LB
  • Israel Abanikada, RB
  • Jared Wayne, WR
  • Bub Means, WR
  • Konata Mumfield, WR

#25 Houston @ Texas Tech

Houston

  • KeSean Carter, WR
  • Nathaniel Dell, WR
  • Donovan Mutin, LB
  • Gervarrius Owens, S
  • Derek Parish, FB
  • Clayton Tune, QB

Texas Tech

  • Adrian Frye, S
  • Reggie Pearson Jr, S
  • Tyler Shough, QB
  • SaRodorick Thompson, RB
  • Tyree Wilson, Edge

Iowa State @ Iowa

Iowa State

  • Trevor Downing, OL
  • Xavier Hutchinson, WR
  • Anthony Johnson Jr, S
  • Will McDonald IV, Edge
  • Jared Rus, FB

Iowa

  • Seth Benson, LB
  • Jack Campbell, LB
  • Sam LaPorta, TE
  • Kaevon Merriweather, S
  • Riley Moss, CB
  • Spencer Petras, QB
  • Monte Pottebaum, FB

#20 Kentucky @ #12 Florida

Kentucky

  • Brenden Bates, TE
  • Kenneth Horsey, OL
  • Jacquez Jones, LB
  • Will Levis, QB
  • Tashawn Manning, OL
  • Tayvion Robinson, WR
  • Chris Rodriquez Jr, RB
  • DeAndre Square, LB
  • Keaton Upshaw, TE
  • Jordan Wright, LB

Florida

  • Anthony Richardson, QB
  • Brenton Cox Jr, Edge
  • Trey Dean III, S
  • Richard Gouraige, OL
  • Ventrell Miller, LB
  • Justin Shorter, WR
  • O’Cyrus Torrence, OL

#10 USC @ Stanford

USC

  • Mekhi Blackmon, CB
  • Terrell Bynum, WR
  • Travis Dye, RB
  • Shane Lee, LB
  • Brett Neilon, OL
  • Andrew Vorhees, OL

Stanford

  • Elijah Higgins, WR
  • Kyu Blu Kelly, CB
  • Jacob Mangum-Farrar, LB
  • Walter Rouse, OL
  • Kendall Williamson, S
  • Michael Wilson, WR

Final Interior Offensive Linemen Rankings

By Barb Layton

I love quite a few of the centers and guards coming out this year. I think Tyler Linderbaum is the top prospect in this group. I in my first rankings did the top 10 and now I am doing the top 5 and a sleeper player.

  1. Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
  2. Zion Johnson, Boston College
  3. Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
  4. Dylan Parham, Memphis
  5. Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

Sleeper: Luke Goedeke, Central Michigan

2022 NFL Draft Top 10 Offensive Tackle Prospects

2022 NFL Mock Draft: Offensive Tackles Dominate Top of First Round - Visit NFL Draft on Sports Illustrated, the latest news coverage, with rankings for NFL Draft prospects, College Football, Dynasty and
By Barb Layton

It has only been the last couple of seasons that I actually have taken an interest in the trenches. I always just watched the skilled players. I have now realized what an important part they play in the offense and the defense.

  1. Evan Neal, Alabama
  2. Charles Cross, Mississippi State
  3. Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
  4. Ikem Ekwonu, NC State
  5. Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan
  6. Nicholus Petit-Frere, Ohio State
  7. Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
  8. Abraham Lucas, Washington State
  9. Sean Rhyan, UCLA
  10. Daniel Faalele, Minnesota

Steelers Official Undrafted Free Agent Signings

By James Layton

The Steelers have officially announced their Undrafted Free Agent signings. The Steelers had a great draft this year, and that continued into their Undrafted signings.

They have found some gems like Shakur Brown (CB), Jamar Watson (LB), and Lamont Wade (S).

Here are their complete signings

  1. Rico Bussey, WR Hawaii
  2. Isaiah McKoy, WR Kent State
  3. Calvin Bundage, LB Oklahoma State
  4. Jamar Watson, LB Kentucky
  5. Shakur Brown, CB Michigan State
  6. Mark Gilbert, CB Duke
  7. Donovan Stiner, S Florida
  8. Lamont Wade, S Penn State

Steelers 7 Round Mock Draft

By Barb Layton

I just completed a mock draft on March 31,2021. I made a couple of trades. I traded for the 32nd pick in the first. So let’s see how it went.

Round 1

Pick 32: Najee Harris, RB Alabama

Round 2

Pick 55: Jamin Davis, LB Kentucky

Pick 64: Kelvin Joseph, CB Kentucky

Round 3

Pick 87: Quinn Meinerz, C Wisconsin-Whitewater

Round 4

Pick 128: Tommy Tremble, TE Notre Dame

Pick 140: Cade Johnson, WR South Dakota State

Round 6

Pick 216: Patrick Johnson, EDGE Tulane

Round 7

Pick 245: Tedarrel Slaton, DT Florida

Pick 254: Tre Norwood, S Oklahoma