DJ Waller injury update: Wednesday availability report reveals status of Kentucky DB vs. Georgia

The initial injury report for a Week 6 contest between Kentucky and Georgia was released on Wednesday. Among the many players listed is Wildcats defensive back DJ Waller, who has not played since the season opener against Toledo due to a hamstring injury.

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said this week that he had hoped Waller could make his return against South Carolina in Week 5, but that didn’t end up happening. The defensive back is officially listed as questionable for this week, and you can view the full injury report for both teams below.

No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs

TE Ethan Barbour – OUT
WR Thomas Blackshear – OUT
OL Earnest Greene III – OUT
OL Malachi Toliver – OUT

Kentucky Wildcats

DB Nasir Addison – OUT
WR Preston Bowman – OUT
TE Elijah Brown – OUT
QB Zach Calzada – PROBABLE
OL Aba Selm – QUESTIONABLE
ILB Devin Smith – QUESTIONABLE
DB Jaden Smith – OUT
DL Nic Smith – OUT
DB DJ Waller Jr. – QUESTIONABLE
WR David Washington Jr. – OUT
RB Jamarion Wilcox – OUT

Waller is in his second season at Kentucky after transferring from Michigan ahead of last year. He recorded 13 tackles and two passes defended in 2024.

“It’s one of those injuries with a hamstring that’s touchy,” Stoops said Monday. “You know, it’s very frustrating for him. He’s worked very hard and you heard us talking a lot about him in camp and throughout the summer. He worked really hard and continues to work hard and it’s frustrating for him.

“For guys that have never been through that before, you try to educate them and help them and talk them through how they feel okay but in a minute they have to go cover someone and open it up… it’s just a different deal. So, we’ll continue to gauge that.”

Since this is an SEC matchup, Georgia and Kentucky will both release availability reports throughout the week. In addition to Wednesday’s injury report, there will also be reports released on Thursday and Friday, then one final report that comes out 90 minutes before kickoff.

The Wildcats enter this contest still in search of their first SEC win after an 0-2 start to conference play. They’ll run into a Bulldogs squad likely motivated to bounce back following a home loss against Alabama in Week 5.

Georgia owns a 64-12-2 all-time advantage in the series against Kentucky and has won the past 15 meetings. However, the Wildcats gave the Bulldogs a run for their money last season in an eventual 13-12 loss.

Kentucky will hope this can be the year it finally puts an end to that losing streak against Georgia, but enters as a 20.5-point underdog according to BetMGM.  All that in mind, the injury report will be worth monitoring closely throughout this week before the game kicks off at 12 p.m. ET in Athens on Saturday.