Players announced for 2025 NFL draft from Kentucky ft. Zion Childress, Maxwell Hairston, and more
The Kentucky Wildcats had a disappointing season (4-8), finishing second last in the SEC with only a single win over an SEC opponent. They did not qualify for a bowl game, and as a result, have not played a game since late November. They finished their season with a 41-14 loss to Louisville, losing their final two games of the year and six of their last seven.
The team will need to make major changes if it wants to become competitive in the SEC again. A few of those changes have been decided for them, as some players have declared for the 2025 NFL draft.
Players announced for 2025 NFL draft from Kentucky
The NFL draft declaration deadline for underclassmen was on Jan. 15th. As a result, fans can see all the players from the Wildcats who will not be returning next season.
Defensive back Zion Childress is one of the most notable players leaving the Wildcats for the NFL draft. Childress was an effective player for the Wildcats on their defense. He registered 55 tackles, including 34 solo efforts, and one sack this season.
Cornerback Maxwell Hairston is also not expected to return after declaring for the 2025 NFL draft. The CB registered 19 tackles in 2024, including 15 solo efforts, one sack, and an interception. He was one of the most effective defensive players for Kentucky this past season.
Offensive lineman Gerald Mincey only appeared in seven games for the Wildcats this past season after transferring from Tennessee. He will not return to the offensive line for them after declaring for the NFL draft.
Lastly, defensive tackle Deone Walker is not going to be on the Wildcats roster next season after declaring for the 2025 NFL draft. In 2024, he was an effective defensive player, registering 37 tackles, with 13 of them being solo efforts. He had two sacks throughout the season.
With these four players leaving their roster, the biggest holes left on the roster are on defense. Gerald Mincey only played half the season, and as a result, the offense is not affected much by NFL draft declarations.
However, Kentucky is losing three players who played key roles on defense for them this past season. It will be interesting to see if the Wildcats can find replacements for their production. Fortunately for them, they are not as impacted by NFL draft declarations as many other teams in the SEC.