A Number Of Cats Look To Go Pro
Since coming to Kentucky in 2013, Mark Stoops has put 29 players into the NFL. In fact, 24 of them have come in the last six seasons. That includes three first-round picks. The 2025 Draft is coming up on Thursday from Lambeau Field in Green Bay. By the end of the weekend, several more cats should hear their names called. Let’s look at them with our 2025 Kentucky NFL Draft Preview.
The Next NFL Defensive Back
If you haven’t been paying close attention, the Kentucky football program has become a “DBU” over the last few years. Since 2018, six Wildcats have gone to the league, many of whom are still playing. Maxwell Hairston is the next in line for Kentucky.
Hailing from West Bloomfield, Michigan, Hairston was a three-star recruit coming out of high school. After redshirting his first year, Hairston played in 12 games in 2o22.
However, it was his sophomore year when he broke onto the national scene in a big way. He led the SEC with five interceptions, 131 return yards, and two touchdowns. Both of those came in a big win over Vanderbilt. Hampered by injury, Hairston only appeared in seven games in 2024. However, he did return an interception for a touchdown versus Ohio and had 19 tackles.
He wowed scouts at the NFL Combine, blazing a 4.28 40-yard dash. NFL analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has been one of his biggest supporters and has him going to the Packers at pick 23. Many mock drafts have him going in the first round. In fact he’s now been added to the list of attendees for Thursday night.
NFL sends out an updated list of prospects set to attend the draft next week in Green Bay. Looks like QB Jaxson Dart has backed out pic.twitter.com/6QNSTn3yG2
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) April 18, 2025
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Furthermore, Buffalo at number 30 is a popular destination. If that happened, he’d be reunited with former Cat Ray Davis.
As we said at the beginning, Hairston isn’t the only player expecting his name to be called. As we continue with our 2025 Kentucky NFL Draft Preview, let’s look at some other Cats who should hear their name called.
Possible Day Two Picks
Deone Walker came into the 2024 season as a widely projected first-round pick. Unfortunately, his final year in Lexington was marred by not only constant double-teaming but also injury. We didn’t know how bad he was hurting until after the season, when it was revealed he played with a fracture in his back.
Despite the injury, Walker only missed one game. In addition, he recorded 37 tackles, five for a loss, and one-and-a-half sacks. Most likely, Walker comes off the board somewhere mid to late third round. However, Last Word projects him as a second-round pick.
Linebacker D’Eryk Jackson is another former Cat who likely comes off the board on day two. During his time at Kentucky, the Georgia native made 217 tackles with 17 for a loss. Furthermore, he had nine sacks and five interceptions.
Jackson led the Cats in tackles in both 2022 and 2023. He likely would have made it a three-peat. However, he missed four games due to injury but still finished seventh on the squad with 37.
Most mock drafts have him going somewhere in the third round. In fact, Walker Football has him going to the Los Angeles Rams with the 90th pick.
Late Round Steals
Two more former Wildcats’ names have popped up on various mock drafts. Linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson started his career at Georgia. In 2022, Dumas-Johnson led the Bulldogs with 9 tackles for loss on the way to consecutive national titles. He also had 70 tackles and four sacks. As a result, he won All-SEC and All-American honors.
Following an injury-plagued 2023, Dumas-Johnson transferred to Kentucky. Playing in 11 games, he led the Cats with 67 tackles, with seven for a loss. In addition, he added 3.5 sacks, an interception, and a fumble return for a touchdown. The New Orleans Saints are one club that seems interested in a late-round pick. In addition, the NFL Network has him going in the sixth round to the Los Angeles Rams.
So far, all the players we’ve talked about are on the defensive side of the ball. However, one former member of “The Big Blue Wall” is also a late-round possibility. Eli Cox started 38 straight games over his last three seasons at Kentucky. He offers a lot of versatility as he played both center and guard with the Wildcats. CBS Sports has him going to the Rams in the sixth round.
Thanks for checking out our 2025 Kentucky NFL Draft Preview here at Last Word On College Football. We’ll be back with updates on where former Cats land as the draft plays out.
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