11 Kentucky players named to Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List
Kentucky football is loaded with talented veterans for the 2023 season. Thanks to the extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wildcats have several players who have already spent at least four years in college — a handful of them entering their fifth, sixth, and even seventh seasons. Some of them could find themselves playing on Sundays in the near future, too.
On Wednesday morning, the 11th annual Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List was announced. In it, 11 current Wildcats were listed among the “best of the best” NFL Draft prospects. These 11 are considered by the Senior Bowl staff to be among the country’s top senior college football players for this season. Kentucky saw 10 players start out on the Watch List in 2022 and just five in 2021.
- LB JJ Weaver
- WR Tayvion Robinson
- DB Andru Phillips
- DL Octavious Oxendine
- QB Devin Leary
- OL Kenneth Horsey
- OL Jeremy Flax
- RB Ray Davis
- OL Marques Cox
- OL Eli Cox
- DB Zion Childress
According to the Senior Bowl’s press release, 11 scouts with upwards of 200 years of NFL experience will evaluate all of the watch list candidates throughout the 2023 season. This is not a finalized list either, as players can be added or removed depending on their on-field performance between now and the end of the season.
The annual Senior Bowl, located in Mobile, AL, is considered the top college football All-Star event and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. This year’s edition is set for February 3, 2024, at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of South Alabama. It will kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET and be televised live on the NFL Network.
More Watch List love for Kentucky
With the regular season right around the corner, talking season is coming to a close. In addition to the Senior Bowl, Kentucky has seen several players named to Watch Lists throughout the preseason. Below are all of the honors dished out so far.
- QB Devin Leary: Davey O’Brien Award, Maxwell Award
- ILB Trevin Wallace: Butkus Award
- K Alex Raynor: Lou Groza Award
- WR/KR Barion Brown: Paul Hornung Award
- DL Deone Walker: Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy
- OLB JJ Weaver: Chuck Bednarik Award
But that’s not all. On Tuesday, a trio of Kentucky players were named to the preseason All-SEC Teams. Weaver and DL Deone Walker were tabbed to the Second Team while OL Eli Cox cracked the Third Team. Additionally, three more Wildcats made the Comeback Player of the Year Watch List — Leary, RB Ramon Jefferson, and DB Jalen Geiger — which was also announced on Tuesday.
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