Josh Hines-Allen shares journey from Kentucky 'roster filler' to the Hall of Fame

If there were a picture next to “recruit and develop” in Kentucky‘s made-up football dictionary under Mark Stoops, Josh Hines-Allen would be the guaranteed example — because there is no better example. The former Wildcat came to Lexington as a two-star recruit originally committed to Monmouth and finished as one of the most dominant defensive players in the history of the program.

When Stoops talks about blue-collar culture and bringing your lunchpail to work with no shortcuts, Hines-Allen is the proof that it works. You can be underrated and use that chip on your shoulder to get everything you ever dreamed of out of this sport if you fight for it. That’s how he became a consensus First-Team All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, National Defensive Player of the Year and a top-10 draft selection.

Then, a few short years later, a UK Athletics Hall of Famer. He was inducted as part of the Class of 2025 over the weekend, properly honored for his historic career in Lexington — all spoken and worked into existence.

“It was a surreal moment,” Hines-Allen said of getting the call to the HOF. “Definitely proud to be a part of the legacy and kind of leave my legacy out here and continue to grow on. My goal was to always be the best defensive player to come out of Kentucky. That’s really what I strived for every single year. Just now to see my four years pass (in Lexington) and come back still in the league, playing at a high level seven years in, and now I’m getting recognized as a Hall of Famer?

“It’s surreal. Not a lot of guys can say that. I’m just totally blessed and honored to be in this situation in the first place.”

Stoops may not have seen an all-time career coming when he signed Hines-Allen out of high school, but he saw something. That meant something to the star pass-rusher, grateful for the opportunity to play in the SEC when he was originally set to play at the FCS level, but also motivated to prove everyone else wrong.

“I came in and I set a goal for myself each and every year. I achieved some, didn’t achieve some,” Hines-Allen told KSR. “But I came back the next year willing to do more and become a better player for myself. I think that kind of motivated me to become a better player and pushed me.”

A pivotal moment in his career and life overall, leading to his historic final season as a Wildcat? The birth of his first son, Wesley.

All of those things combined led to what we saw from Hines-Allen, who became the program’s all-time career sacks leader with 31.5 while also totaling 224 tackles, 41.0 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hurries, 11 forced fumbles, eight pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, one blocked kick and one interception before making his way to the NFL.

“I have my son, my senior year, that kind of extra motivation — that kind of uplifted me. So for me, man, it was just to — I was probably looked at as a roster filler. But if you manage your time and capitalize on the opportunity, you can probably be a future Hall of Famer.”

It was a level of individual domination the program had never seen, but he was also a part of Kentucky’s first 10-win season since 1977, leading the Wildcats to a Citrus Bowl win and top-20 finish nationally in 2018. There was no better way to cap off a career, and Hines-Allen thanks those who came before him for helping him get there.

They walked in blue and white so he could run — typically at the quarterback, very fast.

“I think that’s the reason why I’m here. There have been a whole bunch of guys — not even for Kentucky, but just all over the world — where guys have the individual success, but it can only get them so far. Once you can translate that individual success to team success, then not only do I get something, but everybody else gets to feed on that. That was one thing that we kind of strived for — it wasn’t just about me. I didn’t get here by myself. I give credit to my teammates.

“A couple of my seniors when I was a freshman, the Josh Forrests, the Melvin (Lewises), the Mike (Edwardses), it’s like, I appreciate you guys for showing me the right way to do things and kind of wanting me to pass the torch in a way. I wanted to do it my way.  I just thank those guys.”

From two-star to superstar to Hall of Famer, Josh Hines-Allen is forever a Kentucky legend.