2024 Kentucky Position Previews: Defensive Line

Kentucky’s fall camp is off and running. Before the Cats officially begin the 2024 season, KSR is taking a closer look at the roster and analyzing each position group. Personnel, storylines, questions, and one bold prediction will be included.

Now we pivot to the defense by analyzing what Kentucky has at the point of attack. Anwar Stewart is leading the best position group on the team in 2024.

Position Preview: Quarterback | Flipped QB room has unknown ceiling but should provide safe floor for offense (KSR+ column)

Postion Preview: Running Back | Kentucky has earned benefit of the doubt at tailback but there is much to prove (KSR+ column)

Position Preview: Wide Receiver | Wide receiver play will determine Kentucky’s offensive ceiling (KSR+ column)

Position Preview: Tight End

Position Preview: Offensive Line | Big Blue Wall might not fully return in 2024 but could take a massive step in the right direction

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Expected Starters

Keeshawn Silver (6-4, 336, RJr.)

The former five-star recruit is back for year two at Kentucky after starting almost every game at nose tackle last season. Silver appears to have added good weight and strength in the offseason. Kentucky may ask the former North Carolina transfer to play more snaps this fall due to lack of true depth at nose tackle.

Deone Walker (6-6, 345, Jr.)

Kentucky’s best player is still the Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech product. Walker is now in year three with the program and has a chance to become the best defensive player in college football this season. The first-team All-SEC selection will be used in a variety of different alignments and could become a total game-wrecker for Brad White‘s defense.

Tre’vonn Rybka (6-4, 284, RSr.)

A top-500 recruiting win in the class of 2020, Rybka is now in year five on campus and has played over 800 defensive snaps and is coming off a career year that included career highs in tackles (27), tackles for loss (five), and pressures (22). A quality SEC starter.

Kentucky’s Defensive Line Room

Tavion Gadson (6-5, 295, RFr.)

The Savannah (Ga.) Jenkins product played in only four games last season preserving his redshirt but an injury during spring practice has knocked the former Florida State commit out for the season. Gadson will be in year three before we see him play a significant role in Kentucky’s defense.

Kendrick Gilbert (6-5, 275, RFr.)

A four-star recruiting win in the 2023 high school cycle, Gilbert played in only two games last season and will now have a bigger role as a redshirt freshman due to some of the injury losses in the position room. The Indianapolis native was playing some nose tackle during an open practice but could have some positional flexibility.

Josaih Hayes (6-3, 322, Super)

The Horn Lake (Miss.) High product is now in year five with the Kentucky football program but will miss the season following an Achilles injury suffered during spring practice. That’s a bummer because Hayes was fresh off a career season. The veteran has a redshirt season available and can return as a super senior for Kentucky in 2025.

Darrion Henry-Young (6-4, 290, RSr.)

The former Ohio State transfer reached double-digit snaps in five consecutive games for Kentucky before being lost to a knee injury. Mark Stoops says the former top-150 recruit will likely miss most of the season but does have a redshirt available. Henry-Young could be a super senior for Kentucky in 2025.

Dennious Jackson (6-5, 335, Jr.)

To address the lack of depth at nose tackle, Kentucky dipped into the junior college ranks after missing on some transfer portal targets. Jackson joined the team in July and was running with the third unit during an open practice. Kentucky is hoping the Georgia native can steal some snaps as a run-stuffing nose tackle.

Octavious Oxendine (6-1, 278, RSr.)

Another class of 2020 signee, Oxendine is now in year five at Kentucky and could eclipse 1,000 career snaps in Week 1. The Radcliff (Ky.) North Hardin product is coming off his best season in college football after recording 20 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks on 17 pressures. Oxendine can really be considered a fourth starter and will play a big role for this defense again in 2024.

Brian Robinson (6-5, 261, Fr.)

Kentucky’s highest-ranked recruit in the 2024 high school cycle, Robinson picked Kentucky over Michigan and was on campus for spring practice. The true freshman will likely be expected to fill a depth role in year one. Robinson’s high school tape showed great length, tremendous positional size, and a hot motor.

Kahlil Saunders (6-5, 291, RJr.)

Another veteran in the group, Saunders is now in year four with the Kentucky program and has played over 600 defensive snaps. The former high three-star recruit brings some positional versatility to the lineup and could be considered Kentucky’s fifth starter entering the season.

Jerod Smith II (6-4, 273, Fr.)

Another big recruiting win, Smith was on campus for spring practice and continues to impress those in the football program. The Corbin (Ky.) High product flipped to Kentucky from Michigan and will have a role as a true freshman. The Under Armour All-American is fluid with an intriguing pass rush toolbox. Explodes out of stance and is light on feet. Wins fast, sudden mover, and owns some pass rush bend. Gap shooter that creates havoc.

Tommy Ziesmer (6-2, 282, RFr.)

The Danville (Ky.) Boyle County product returns for his second year at Kentucky after playing in two games last fall. Ziesmer will be expected to fill a depth role for the Wildcats but it is not clear where the former three-star recruit stands on the depth chart at the moment.

Big Question: How does Kentucky replace Josaih Hayes?

Kentucky’s defensive line has top 10-15 potential in 2024. There is star power, experience, and quality depth. But that depth quality to a significant hit when Josaih Hayes was lost of the season during spring practice.

The veteran played a career-high 307 snaps last season reaching north of 30 snaps against Georgia, Missouri, Louisville, and Clemson. An argument can be made that Hayes was Kentucky’s best line of scrimmage player not named Deone Walker. Now Kentucky will not have him in the lineup.

Defensive coordinator Brad White expressed confidence about moving on without him but some unproven players or some schematic tweaks might now need to take place.

Top Storyline: Deone Walker’s star power

Deone Walker is on track to become a three-and-done player who becomes a first-round draft pick at Kentucky. Before that arrives, Kentucky gets the star on campus for one more season. The junior could determine the ceiling of this defense.

From top to bottom, Kentucky appears to have one of its best rosters. The Wildcats have improved the depth in the secondary, added an All-American at off-ball linebacker, and returns every defensive lineman who played major snaps last season. The pieces are in place to be very good on defense but Walker could be a game changer.

If the junior can elevate again, Walker will give the coaching staff weekly leverage due to his alignment versatility and ability to create havoc from different areas. The former four-star recruit could be a true All-American game wrecker and we saw what having one of those (Josh Hines-Allen) did for the Kentucky defense in 2018.

If Walker becomes a true game-changing force, Kentucky could have one of the best defenses in college football.

Bold Prediction: Kentucky finishes in the top-25 in sack rate

In 2018, Kentucky’s defense produced one of its best pass rushing seasons in program history leading the SEC and ranking No. 5 nationally in sack rate (9.95%). The Wildcats followed that up with a top-25 finish (7.89%) in 2019. Kentucky has not finished better than No. 39 in the four years since. Twice the Wildcats have finished sub-90.

With Deone Walker and an experienced defensive line leading the way, Kentucky will get back into the top 25 this season.

The pass rush could become a strength of the team and the gravity Walker will attract will open up winning opportunities for other players. Kentucky’s star will get his numbers and he should help create sacks for other players.

Kentucky’s pass rush becomes a real problem for opposing offenses this fall.