Defensive back Grant Grayton announces return to Kentucky

A member of Kentucky football’s secondary is sticking around for the Will Stein era.

On Saturday afternoon, defensive back Grant Grayton announced he’s returning to the Wildcats for the 2026 season. A 6-foot-3, 205-pound cornerback out of Maryland, Grayton appeared in six games as a true freshman for Kentucky in 2025. He totaled 16 tackles, three pass deflections, and one interception, the latter coming on the road against a ranked Georgia team.

A former three-star high school recruit out of Good Counsel (MD), Grayton will have three years of eligibility remaining at UK.

#BBN we locked in 🔒#AGTG pic.twitter.com/Aegc1psuu0

— Grant Grayton (@GraytonGrant) January 10, 2026

Originally a Minnesota commit, Grayton eventually flipped his decision to Kentucky in December 2024. His college debut came in UK’s win over Eastern Michigan, which saw him record three tackles and a pass deflection.

Grayton also saw the field against South Carolina and Georgia in back-to-back weeks, but did not play again until mid-November. Grayton ended up taking the field in all of Kentucky’s final three games, posting a career-high five tackles against a ranked Vanderbilt squad and then another five tackles in the regular season finale against Louisville.

With Grayton officially in the fold for 2026, Kentucky’s cornerback room now consists of eight players: Kevis Thomas (Sr.), Braxton Urquhart (RJr.), Terhyon Nichols (Jr.), Haasan Sykes (Jr.), Grant Grayton (So.), Demarcus Gardner (RFr.), Andrew Purcell (RFr.), and Isaiah McMillian (Fr.).

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