Alright so Tuesday afternoon rolls around and I’m scrolling through NFL mock drafts – way too early I know, but what can I say, the offseason itch hits hard. Kept seeing these Kentucky Wildcats pop up everywhere. Like, way more than usual. Got me thinking: man, what kinda impact are these 2024 Kentucky draftees really having on how teams are picking this year? Figured it deserved a deeper look, so I grabbed my laptop, fired up the ol’ spreadsheets, and just dove headfirst into the rabbit hole.
First thing I did was basically just list out every single Kentucky player who might even sniff the draft. Guys like Ray Davis, Trevin Wallace, Andru Phillips… bunch of names on defense especially. Went position by position. This one dude, Deone Walker, the absolute unit on the defensive line? Yeah, he’s everywhere in projections. Started noticing a pattern – Kentucky was suddenly loaded with legit NFL prospects across the board, not just one or two stars.
Then I started digging into scouting reports and combine numbers. Spent hours just reading, comparing notes. Had my browser tabs looking like a disaster zone! What jumped out wasn’t just individual talent, but the kinds of players they were cranking out:
- Versatile defensive backs who could cover multiple spots? Check. Teams absolutely crave that flexibility.
- Freakishly athletic linebackers like Wallace? That’s pure NFL draft gold right now. Speed sells.
- Running backs with power AND receiving chops (looking at you, Ray Davis)? Modern NFL blueprint.
Seeing how teams were scouting guys like Phillips specifically for slot corner work, or how Walker’s sheer size was forcing teams to rethink how they evaluate D-line anchors, really hit me. It wasn’t just that Kentucky had prospects; it felt like they were building exactly the types of players the NFL is desperately hunting for right now.
Got my head spinning trying to see how this actually shifts the draft board. Like, when you know Team A loves a Kentucky cornerback and they pick early in the second round, does that mean teams picking right after them suddenly feel pressured to grab the next best DB even if they weren’t planning on it? Started mapping potential runs on positions where Kentucky guys were clustered. Found myself muttering, “Man, if Wallace goes Day 2, does that make every other athletic off-ball LB suddenly look riskier later?” Ended up drawing lines on a mock draft board like some conspiracy theorist connecting dots.
The biggest lightbulb moment though? Realizing it’s not about one superstar carrying the banner. It was the sheer volume and the specific positional value. Seeing 4, maybe 5, Wildcats potentially going in the first three rounds? That’s a whole wave. Teams looking at, say, offensive tackles later might have a Kentucky defender looming as a “better value” pick instead because scouts are so high on that Wildcats prospect pool right now. It genuinely felt like Kentucky was setting the tempo for certain positional groups.
Wrapped up late Thursday night feeling like I just climbed out of a stats cave. My main takeaway? This Kentucky crew isn’t just adding names to the draft; they’re actively pushing players up boards and forcing teams to adjust their strategies around certain positions much earlier than usual. Their unique blend of traits – that size on defense, that versatility, that athleticism – is setting a tone. Makes you wonder if other college programs sitting up and taking notes for how they build rosters now. Wild stuff. Draft day’s gonna be extra spicy watching where the Wildcats land.
