Josh Hines-Allen Grateful for Life-Changing Experience at Kentucky

Josh Hines-Allen celebrates a sack during Kentucky's Citrus Bowl win, via Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

It was a night of celebration as the UK Athletics Hall of Fame added six new members, including the best defensive player many Kentucky football fans have ever seen, Josh Hines-Allen.

Long before he became a first round NFL Draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hines-Allen was an overlooked two-star recruit, barely appearing at the bottom of the New Jersey high school football recruiting rankings.

“That was my edge, that was my chip,” he said during his acceptance speech.

Even though he had only played defense for one season, Kentucky saw potential in the rangy athlete. Coaches visited his school, offered him a scholarship, and asked him to take an official visit. Two hours later, before school had even dismissed for the day, he was on a plane for Lexington.

“Best day ever, huh?” he laughed.

Once he arrived at Kentucky, it took some time for him to become SEC-ready. By his second season, he was making plays in the backfield. After consecutive 7-sack seasons, Hines-Allen had a decision to make. Should he test his salt in the NFL, or give it one more go at Kentucky? Ultimately, he couldn’t leave his teammates behind.

“The accolades — SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Consensus All-American, National Defensive Player of the Year, All-Time UK Sack Leader — doesn’t mean anything without my teammates,” Hines-Allen said.

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“That’s one thing that I cherish throughout my whole four years of competing here, was building relationships on and off the field with these guys. We ran hills together, we competed together, we challenged each other, and it put me in a position where ‘I can’t give up on ’em. I don’t want to give up on them, and I don’t want to give up on myself. I have to lead by example.'”

His leadership during that 2018 season is truly unquantifiable. His stats were incredible. He set the single-season record with 17.0 sacks en route to breaking the UK career record, while also tallying 56 tackles and an SEC-best 22 TFLs. Hines-Allen dominated the most difficult conference in college football and led Kentucky to its first 10-win season in 41 years. He changed Kentucky football for the better, and that relationship was reciprocated.

“From the bottom of my heart, it means everything to me. I rep Kentucky through and through, I bleed blue, and y’all changed my life forever.”