Midseason Redshirt Report: True Freshmen Making Early Impact

by:Nick Roush•10/13/22•

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Kentucky’s star-studded 2022 recruiting class has lived up to the hype through six games. Five true freshman have earned starts, with four proving to be game-changing impact players every Saturday.

In college football, players can participate in up to four games and still maintain a year of eligibility. Seven of the 19 players of the 2022 recruiting class have already burned their redshirt.

Deone Walker: 6 games played (4 starts)
Dane Key: 6 (5 starts)
Alex Afari: 6 (2 starts)
Barion Brown: 6 (2 starts)
Kiyaunta Goodwin: 6
Keaten Wade: 6
Josh Kattus: 5 (1 start)

Dane Key Kentucky football Florida — Photo by Dr. Michael Huang | Kentucky Sports Radio

Young Stars Stuffing the Stat Sheet

Arguably the best storyline of the first half of the 2022 season has been the success of Kentucky’s true freshmen. Barion Brown and Deone Walker each earned Midseason True Freshman All-American honors from On3. Brown has returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and nearly took two others to the house. He has caught 17 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns, just shy of Dane Key‘s 19 receptions for 291 yards and three touchdowns. Josh Kattus has yet to record a reception, but the true freshman has been arguably the best blocking tight end on the team.

Defensively, Alex Afari and Deone Walker have been much-needed impact playmakers. Following injuries to Vito Tisdale and Jalen Geiger, Afari has filled in admirably at nickel. Afari has 17 tackles, 2.5 for loss and one sack. Like Afari, Keaten Wade has been solid while filling in for Jordan Wright and JJ Weaver absences, tallying 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Deone Walker has been a one-man wrecking crew on the defensive line. Walker has more tackles (16) and tackles for loss (1.5) than any other defensive lineman.