Kentucky makes top 6 for 5-star forward

As National Football League Week 1 kicks off, 18 Kentucky Wildcats currently are on NFL club 53-man rosters with three additional players with other NFL roles.

Two Wildcats will be in action in the second primetime game of the season when the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles play Friday, Sept. 6, in Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, on Peacock.

Carrington Valentine is in his second season with the Packers, while Darian Kinnard is in his first year with the Eagles after being part of the Kansas City Chiefs organization his first two years in the NFL as the Chiefs won the Super Bowl the past two seasons.

Eight Kentucky Wildcats participated in the 2024 NFL Playoffs, with Mike Edwards and Kinnard winning the Super Bowl with the Chiefs. Edwards, now with the Buffalo Bills, is a two-time Super Bowl winner who also made significant plays during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2020-21 championship run. Ray Davis was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, alongside fellow Wildcats Andru Phillips (New York Giants) and Tr.

Five Kentucky Wildcats will be NFL rookies with Keidron Smith (Denver Broncos) and Brenden Bates (New York Jets) joining Davis, Phillips and Wallace.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis was voted a team captain. Josh Hines-Allen is a Jacksonville Jaguars team captain as well.

The three Wildcats in other roles with the NFL include Champ Kelly, assistant general manager with the Las Vegas Raiders, Austin Moss, director of player engagement with the San Franscico 49ers and Corey Peters, a college scout with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The full list of Kentucky Wildcats on NFL Week 1 rosters is below.

Buffalo Bills
Ray Davis, RB (2023)
Mike Edwards, S (2015-2018)

Carolina Panthers
Trevin Wallace, LB (2021-23)