Kentucky linebacker D'Eryk Jackson declares for 2025 NFL Draft

Transfer portal announcements are rolling out left and right as a roster rebuild at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility begins. But all players leaving eligibility on the table will not be playing for another college team in 2025. There will be some players heading to the pros. One of the Kentucky’s best players announced his future plans on Wednesday night.

Kentucky redshirt senior linebacker D’Eryk Jackson announced on his Instagram that his collegiate career is done after five seasons. The South Georgia native has officially declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.

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D’Eryk Jackson missed the final four games of the season due to a shoulder surgery. The off-ball linebacker finished the year with 38 tackles, five tackles for loss, three pass breakups, one sack and one interception. Jackson was a three-year starter who leaves Lexington with 216 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, five interceptions, three sacks, and one forced fumble. Jackson led the team in tackles in 2022 and 2023.

The Kentucky product should have a great chance at hearing his named called during Day 3 of draft weekend. D’Eryk Jackson could become the third Kentucky linebacker drafted in the last five years joining Jamin Davis and Trevin Wallace. All three players were from South Georgia.

This draft news leaves Kentucky with seven scholarship players at linebacker. Daveren Rayner and Alex Afari Jr. have both started games in Lexington. Kentucky is scheduled to host Marshall linebacker transfer Landyn Watson for a visit on Thursday. Jacksonville State linebacker transfer Reginald Hughes is scheduled to arrive on campus next week.

Kentucky is now working to replace Jackson as he and fellow starter Jamon Dumas-Johnson are off to the NFL.

Kentucky Football Transfer Portal Tracker

The transfer portal is open for business and so far we know of 19 players who will be seeking out greener pastures this offseason.

• DL Keeshawn Silver
• DB Avery Stuart
• LB Jayvant Brown
• LS Walker Himebauch
• TE Tanner Lemaster
• TE Khamari Anderson
• TE Jordan Dingle
• OL Courtland Ford
• OL Ben Christman
• DL Tommy Ziesmer
• WR Dane Key
• WR Barion Brown
• WR Anthony Brown-Stephens
• WR Brandon White
• EDGE Tyreese Fearbry
• EDGE Noah Matthews
• EDGE Caleb Redd
• RB Chip Trayanum
• QB Gavin Wimsatt

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. Keep closer tabs on the Cats with our staff-only sticky thread on KSBoard, which will have updates on departures and targets throughout the offseason. Not a KSR+ member? Try it out today.