Four University of Kentucky football players have been recognized for their exceptional performances this season and have been named to the All-Southeastern Conference teams by The Associated Press. Running back Ray Davis and defensive tackle Deone Walker have been named to the first team, while all-purpose player and return specialist Barion Brown and defensive back Maxwell Hairston have earned second-team honors.
Davis, a graduate transfer from San Francisco, had an impressive season, totaling 1,066 yards on the ground with 13 rushing touchdowns. He also contributed 317 receiving yards and seven touchdowns through the air. Davis’s remarkable performance earned him the title of the program’s single-season record holder in touchdowns and scoring, and he currently ranks 13th on the program’s single-season rushing yards list.
Moreover, Davis’s achievements go beyond this season. He is the only active player, and possibly the only player in NCAA history, to tally at least 1,000 rushing yards in a career at three different Division I schools. Davis previously achieved 1,000-yard seasons at both Temple and Vanderbilt. With 3,563 career rushing yards, he ranks fourth among active players in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.
One of the standout moments of Davis’s season was his astounding performance against Florida, in which he rushed for 280 yards and tied the school record with four touchdowns. This remarkable feat earned him recognition as the National Player of the Week by two organizations.
Defensive tackle Deone Walker has also been a force to be reckoned with on the field. Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 330 pounds, Walker’s size and physicality have made him a dominant presence on the defensive line. He started in 23 out of 24 career games, including 22 consecutive starts for the Wildcats. This season, Walker recorded 51 tackles, the most for an interior lineman since 2015. He also led the team in tackles for loss, sacks, and quarterback hurries, while contributing two pass breakups, one of which resulted in an interception.
Barion Brown, a sophomore from Nashville, had an outstanding season as an all-purpose player and return specialist. He led the SEC and ranked second in the nation with an average of 31.7 yards per kickoff return. Brown was the only player in the conference and one of the five in the nation to score two kickoff return touchdowns this season. Additionally, he led the team in pass receptions, with 40 catches for 439 yards and three touchdowns. He also made an impact on special teams, recording three punt returns for 51 yards and 10 rushing attempts for 121 yards.
Maxwell Hairston, a sophomore from Detroit, had an impressive season as a defensive back. He recorded five interceptions, the fifth-most in the nation, with four coming during conference play. Hairston’s five interceptions tie for the fifth-most in a single season in program history and are the most since 2009. He also contributed 131 interception return yards, the most since 1981. Hairston’s exceptional performance against Vanderbilt, where he recorded two interceptions returned for touchdowns, led him to be named the National Defensive Player of the Week and National Defensive Back of the Week.
In addition to his interceptions, Hairston recorded 64 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, six pass breakups, and a forced fumble.
Kentucky’s football team will be making their eighth consecutive bowl appearance, extending their school record, as they head to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl to face the No. 22-ranked Clemson. The Wildcats and Tigers will go head-to-head on December 29th in Jacksonville, Florida. The game will be televised on ESPN.
For more information on the University of Kentucky football team, visit ukathletics.com/football and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
