Two Kentucky Wildcats Among Top 100 Players in College Football

by:Nick Roush•05/18/23•

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Week zero is 100 days away. In honor of the significant offseason milestone, On3’s Charles Power and Clark Brooks ranked the top 100 players in college football for the 2023 season. A pair of Kentucky Wildcats made the cut.

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams headlines On3’s Top 100. Keep scrolling and you’ll find Barion Brown at No. 90, followed by Devin Leary at No. 96.

In Brown’s true freshman campaign, the former Top 100 recruit from Nashville caught 50 passes for 628 yards, new single-season UK freshman records. He also hauled in four touchdown passes, earning Freshman All-American honors from four different media outlets.

Brown was also lethal in the return game. He took one back to the house, and was tripped up on his way to a second score at Ole Miss. The true freshman ranked fourth nationally by averaging 27.5 yard per kick return.

Devin Leary enters his first season in Lexington after showing spurts of sensational play at NC State. His best season was in 2021, throwing 35 touchdowns and only five interceptions to propel the Wolf Pack to a 9-3 season. Brooks breaks down the upside for the quarterback who’s coming off a season-ending injury.

Devin Leary is another player who will generate split opinions. Honestly, it’s probably a little bold to say he and Milton are the SEC’s QB1 and QB2 at this point. Many expect to see KJ Jefferson, Jayden Daniels, or even Spencer Rattler inside the top 100 — not an NC State transfer coming off an injury and rocky season. Leary might be a little battered and a little slight, but he is undeniably accurate. That matters a whole lot.
Clark Brooks, On3

Devin Leary, Barion Brown Top 100 Players in college football

Like most of the Big Blue Nation, Barion Brown was fired up to hear Cutter Boley will be a Kentucky Wildcat. He joined in on the social media celebration and shared an image of him alongside Dane Key and Mark Stoops from spring practice.