Kentucky Football Countdown: No. 6 Josh Ali

We’re now under one week away from the start of Kentucky’s 2022 football season. With Week 0 action officially in the books, we look ahead to the true beginning of the season next weekend. Now that we’re six days away from opening kick against Miami (OH), it’s only appropriate we talk about one of the best Wildcats to ever wear the same number.

About Josh Ali

Josh Ali came to Kentucky as a three-star recruit out of Hollywood, FL. He chose the Wildcats over the likes of Central Florida and Utah, but eventually outplayed his high school ranking once he arrived in Lexington. Ali played in nine games as a true freshman in 2017 before taking on a larger role during the program’s 2018 Citrus Bowl-winning season. Ali appeared in 12 of 13 games as a sophomore, hauling in 10 catches for 115 yards and a touchdown.

It wasn’t until he was a junior that Ali began to make his mark at Kentucky. In 2019, he caught 23 balls for 233 total yards and three touchdowns. During his first senior season in 2020, he more than doubled his receptions with 54, totaling 473 receiving yards and another touchdown throughout the year.

Ali then took the additional year of eligibility granted by the COVID-19 pandemic, setting a career-high in receiving yards at 601 in 2021. He hauled in 41 receptions and three touchdowns through the air while also running for a score.

Overall, Ali was one of Mark Stoops’ steadiest receivers over his 10 years of coaching at UK. At one point, Ali captain caught a pass in 22 consecutive games and started 34 consecutive games for the ‘Cats. The two-time team ended his time in Lexington 10th on the program’s career receptions list. His 1,447 receiving yards rank 12th in program history.

Following his college days — and after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Community and Leadership Development at UK — Ali went unpicked in the 2022 NFL Draft earlier this year. Since then, he’s partnered with a company called Keen Water and is a current ambassador for the brand. Ali has also released a children’s book titled “Fishing is Fun For Everyone”, which you can purchase through the link here.

Only six more days…