Kentucky had a very good three days at the end of this week.
From Thursday to Saturday six Wildcats had their names called in the NFL Draft.
High expectations for Jamin Davis
Going into the draft Cats Illustrated was hearing that 21 to 30 was the most likely outcome range for junior linebacker Jamin Davis.
He ended up being selected at No. 19 by the Washington Football Team.
When you post more than 100 tackles and three picks showing the kind of freakish athleticism, football IQ and personality that Davis has, well, that helps explain it.
According to PointsBet, Davis has the tenth-best odds of any player drafted to win the 2021 NFL Rookie of the Year award at +1500.
Penn State's Micah Parsons is the favorite at +350.
Davis' story now needs to be mentioned in the same breath as Josh Allen's in terms of developing from a lower-ranked three-star prospect into a first round pick.
Concerns about Joseph didn't hurt him too much
One could point out that Kelvin Joseph could have been a first round pick if there weren't some concerns related to his leaving LSU and things other than football, but he was picked early in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys. America's Team was evidently all in on the 2020 Kentucky defense as they drafted Quinton Bohanna later in the event.
Joseph's exceptional physical and skill traits to go along with his established playmaking ability in only nine games at UK made him an easy second-day choice for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys were always going to look for cornerback help in this draft and could have in the first round but their best options were selected and Micah Parsons made for an understandable selection when their time came. But they obviously feel good about Joseph as Jerry Jones' franchise picked him ahead of three players it selected later on that second day.
Dallas also drafted cornerbacks Nahshon Wright (Oregon State) and Israel Mukuamu (South Carolina)
We need to talk about Kentucky as a real 'LBU'
Kentucky has started to gain a reputation as a Linebacker U of sorts, although the rest of the country hasn't exactly caught wind of the reality the same way Big Blue Nation has.
As stat guru Corey Price pointed out this weekend Kentucky is the only program in the nation with first round picks at linebacker in three different drafts since 2015.
That's a big deal and it's not being cute with numbers to make for a fancy stat. Kentucky has been fantastic at developing linebackers and preparing them for the NFL. Of course, that tradition does not only include Bud Dupree, Josh Allen, and now Jamin Davis, all first round picks.
From Wesley Woodyard and Danny Trevathan to Avery Williamson, the University of Kentucky's football program has made a huge impact on the game at the linebacker position.
You can bet that will be a big selling point on the recruiting trail moving forward. It certainly helped with recent signee Trevin Wallace and recent commitment Keaten Wade.
The start of an NFL d-line tradition?
While we're talking about what Kentucky has done in terms of producing linebackers, don't sleep on what's happening on the defensive line.
The 'Cats don't have the same pedigree in terms of producing NFL defensive linemen although Dewayne Robertson, Corey Peters, and Za'Darius Smith have big names at different points over the past couple of decades.
But that could be changing.
Bohanna and Hoskins being drafted may only be the start. The next few drafts could be very interesting.
It would be surprising if Marquan McCall and Josh Paschal don't both hear their names called at next year's event.
Waiting in the wings after that? The most highly-regarded defensive line class in school history, with Justin Rogers, Samuel Anaele, Tre'Vonn Rybka, Josaih Hayes, and Octavious Oxendine.
No Jackson, no Duffy
Max Duffy may be the best punter in the history of Kentucky's football program but he has always downplayed his NFL prospects for a number of reasons, not least of which is the sheer lack of available spots for players at his position.
Duffy's name was not called on Saturday. While Duffy will get a chance to work his way onto a roster regardless, that wasn't a huge surprise. It may have been a mistake; time will tell. But it wasn't a surprise.
The real surprise was Drake Jackson not going drafted. Going into the event there was a widespread belief that Jackson would probably be selected around the sixth round. But not to be drafted at all?
Undoubtedly height was a concern for franchises.
Jackson has always been regarded as an overachiever. Some questioned his height coming out of high school even as he was routinely dominating higher-ranked players at Rivals Camp events.
At Kentucky, there was talk about his height even as he was rounding into an All-SEC player.
Like Duffy, Jackson will get a chance to prove everyone wrong as an undrafted free agent.
Jackson and Duffy are two of the most beloved and respected players to go through Kentucky's program recently so they have no shortage of supporters. Going undrafted might be an insult, but it doesn't mean their football careers are over.
Phil Hoskins hears his name called
Perhaps the biggest positive surprise of Saturday's draft for Kentucky was that Phil Hoskins heard his name called. The Panthers selected UK's sixth-year defensive lineman with the 232nd pick late in the draft.
Going into the draft it was far from a given that Hoskins would hear his name called.
For a player who could have returned for a seventh season of college football and who some believed would have to go the longer and harder undrafted route it had to be a fulfilling and exciting moment.
The Panthers have signed established veterans DaQuan Jones and Morgan Fox as defensive line additions, from the Titans and Rams respectively, and there is not exactly a glaring opening that would cause anyone to expect a late round selection to seize a starting role. But given that Carolina may have reached a bit more for Hoskins than many expected a franchise to, they probably have a plan for him.
Echols' testing results powered his draft rise
Going into the 2020 season everyone who followed Kentucky football knew that Brandin Echols would be a reliable second-year starting cornerback. He was an instant breakout player for UK in his first season in Lexington after transferring from junior college in Mississippi.
In spite of only intercepting one pass in two seasons — and that was an oft-mentioned concern, with playmaking ability so important in the secondary — Echols' tremendous testing results undoubtedly drove his rise and the Jets' decision to select him in the sixth round.
There was some talk that Echols could have been picked even before that. He was consistently solid in coverage and a reliable tackler in spite of having a smaller stature than many of the top corners drafted. When you run a 4.35-second 40-yard dash and post a 42.5-inch vert, an 11-4 broad jump, and a 3.84-second cone drill, you're going to get picked.
The Jets needed to address the secondary in the draft and they ended up taking five consecutive defensive backs in Rounds 5 and 6, with Echols the second cornerback selected by the franchise after Pitt's Jason Pinnock the round prior.
From Thursday to Saturday six Wildcats had their names called in the NFL Draft.
High expectations for Jamin Davis
Going into the draft Cats Illustrated was hearing that 21 to 30 was the most likely outcome range for junior linebacker Jamin Davis.
He ended up being selected at No. 19 by the Washington Football Team.
When you post more than 100 tackles and three picks showing the kind of freakish athleticism, football IQ and personality that Davis has, well, that helps explain it.
According to PointsBet, Davis has the tenth-best odds of any player drafted to win the 2021 NFL Rookie of the Year award at +1500.
Penn State's Micah Parsons is the favorite at +350.
Davis' story now needs to be mentioned in the same breath as Josh Allen's in terms of developing from a lower-ranked three-star prospect into a first round pick.
Concerns about Joseph didn't hurt him too much
One could point out that Kelvin Joseph could have been a first round pick if there weren't some concerns related to his leaving LSU and things other than football, but he was picked early in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys. America's Team was evidently all in on the 2020 Kentucky defense as they drafted Quinton Bohanna later in the event.
Joseph's exceptional physical and skill traits to go along with his established playmaking ability in only nine games at UK made him an easy second-day choice for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys were always going to look for cornerback help in this draft and could have in the first round but their best options were selected and Micah Parsons made for an understandable selection when their time came. But they obviously feel good about Joseph as Jerry Jones' franchise picked him ahead of three players it selected later on that second day.
Dallas also drafted cornerbacks Nahshon Wright (Oregon State) and Israel Mukuamu (South Carolina)
We need to talk about Kentucky as a real 'LBU'
Kentucky has started to gain a reputation as a Linebacker U of sorts, although the rest of the country hasn't exactly caught wind of the reality the same way Big Blue Nation has.
As stat guru Corey Price pointed out this weekend Kentucky is the only program in the nation with first round picks at linebacker in three different drafts since 2015.
That's a big deal and it's not being cute with numbers to make for a fancy stat. Kentucky has been fantastic at developing linebackers and preparing them for the NFL. Of course, that tradition does not only include Bud Dupree, Josh Allen, and now Jamin Davis, all first round picks.
From Wesley Woodyard and Danny Trevathan to Avery Williamson, the University of Kentucky's football program has made a huge impact on the game at the linebacker position.
You can bet that will be a big selling point on the recruiting trail moving forward. It certainly helped with recent signee Trevin Wallace and recent commitment Keaten Wade.
The start of an NFL d-line tradition?
While we're talking about what Kentucky has done in terms of producing linebackers, don't sleep on what's happening on the defensive line.
The 'Cats don't have the same pedigree in terms of producing NFL defensive linemen although Dewayne Robertson, Corey Peters, and Za'Darius Smith have big names at different points over the past couple of decades.
But that could be changing.
Bohanna and Hoskins being drafted may only be the start. The next few drafts could be very interesting.
It would be surprising if Marquan McCall and Josh Paschal don't both hear their names called at next year's event.
Waiting in the wings after that? The most highly-regarded defensive line class in school history, with Justin Rogers, Samuel Anaele, Tre'Vonn Rybka, Josaih Hayes, and Octavious Oxendine.
No Jackson, no Duffy
Max Duffy may be the best punter in the history of Kentucky's football program but he has always downplayed his NFL prospects for a number of reasons, not least of which is the sheer lack of available spots for players at his position.
Duffy's name was not called on Saturday. While Duffy will get a chance to work his way onto a roster regardless, that wasn't a huge surprise. It may have been a mistake; time will tell. But it wasn't a surprise.
The real surprise was Drake Jackson not going drafted. Going into the event there was a widespread belief that Jackson would probably be selected around the sixth round. But not to be drafted at all?
Undoubtedly height was a concern for franchises.
Jackson has always been regarded as an overachiever. Some questioned his height coming out of high school even as he was routinely dominating higher-ranked players at Rivals Camp events.
At Kentucky, there was talk about his height even as he was rounding into an All-SEC player.
Like Duffy, Jackson will get a chance to prove everyone wrong as an undrafted free agent.
Jackson and Duffy are two of the most beloved and respected players to go through Kentucky's program recently so they have no shortage of supporters. Going undrafted might be an insult, but it doesn't mean their football careers are over.
Phil Hoskins hears his name called
Perhaps the biggest positive surprise of Saturday's draft for Kentucky was that Phil Hoskins heard his name called. The Panthers selected UK's sixth-year defensive lineman with the 232nd pick late in the draft.
Going into the draft it was far from a given that Hoskins would hear his name called.
For a player who could have returned for a seventh season of college football and who some believed would have to go the longer and harder undrafted route it had to be a fulfilling and exciting moment.
The Panthers have signed established veterans DaQuan Jones and Morgan Fox as defensive line additions, from the Titans and Rams respectively, and there is not exactly a glaring opening that would cause anyone to expect a late round selection to seize a starting role. But given that Carolina may have reached a bit more for Hoskins than many expected a franchise to, they probably have a plan for him.
Echols' testing results powered his draft rise
Going into the 2020 season everyone who followed Kentucky football knew that Brandin Echols would be a reliable second-year starting cornerback. He was an instant breakout player for UK in his first season in Lexington after transferring from junior college in Mississippi.
In spite of only intercepting one pass in two seasons — and that was an oft-mentioned concern, with playmaking ability so important in the secondary — Echols' tremendous testing results undoubtedly drove his rise and the Jets' decision to select him in the sixth round.
There was some talk that Echols could have been picked even before that. He was consistently solid in coverage and a reliable tackler in spite of having a smaller stature than many of the top corners drafted. When you run a 4.35-second 40-yard dash and post a 42.5-inch vert, an 11-4 broad jump, and a 3.84-second cone drill, you're going to get picked.
The Jets needed to address the secondary in the draft and they ended up taking five consecutive defensive backs in Rounds 5 and 6, with Echols the second cornerback selected by the franchise after Pitt's Jason Pinnock the round prior.
