"From good to great" Brad White expects even more out of talented rising sophomores

Kentucky football’s 2022 recruiting class made an immediate impact right out of the gate. On offense, Dane Key, Barion Brown, and Josh Kattus were hauling in touchdowns, recording highlight play after highlight play, and even dishing out some fundamentally sound blocks — and that was under former offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello. Who knows what those three will be able to do as true sophomores under the mind of Liam Coen — you know, the guy who initially recruited them to Lexington in the first place.

But it was on the defensive side of the ball where Kentucky found just as many diamonds in a mine that wound up being chock-full of them. Deone Walker looks the part of a future first-round NFL Draft pick while Alex Afari Jr. and Keaten Wade are in line for full-time starting roles this fall. All three had terrific freshman campaigns, but now expectations are going to be sky-high for the rising true sophomores.

“Every player here — and it’s not just Deone — when they’re a freshman going into their sophomore year you’re hoping for big jumps,” Defensive coordinator Brad White said following Saturday’s practice. “Obviously he came sort of strong out of the gate and that’s a testament to him and his work ethic and how he approaches the game. But now it’s time to take that next step from good to great from great to elite, those kind of players take those steps and it doesn’t just happen just because you’re a year older.”

Walker is clearly the star of the bunch — a Freshman All-American and Second-Team All-SEC member as a rookie with traits that typically result in a high draft selection. The 6-foot-6, 330-pound defensive lineman looks like he should be playing professional ball right now. He started 11 of 13 games played in 2022, totaling 40 tackles (4.5 for loss), five quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble.

You would group Walker in the “from great to elite” category of leaps that can/will be expected to be taken. He looks more like someone the Georgia Bulldogs would make the focal point of their defense. Instead, he’s assuming that same position in Lexington. Not many Wildcats will be called upon to do more this upcoming season than Walker. He’s already being recognized as a candidate for the nation’s top defensive player in 2023. The hype is real.

Wade and Afari aren’t quite bonafide stars, but project as possible ones down the road — potentially as soon as this season if they take those jumps Brad White alluded to. Wade appeared in all 13 games last season, highlighted by a sack he recorded against South Carolina. Afari also appeared in all 13 games and even started three. His five tackles in a win over Youngstown State led the team that game.

Those two would fall more in line with the “from good to great” line of thought. They will fill in as likely starters from day one, but just how much they improved during the offseason will significantly impact the overall talent level of White’s defense.

“It takes a concerted effort, a year’s worth of focus,” White added. “It’s gonna take, this next month, getting ready, getting all of our guys into football shape. All those freshmen, especially those that played significantly for us last year with Deone and with Keaten and Alex Afari, we’re expecting that they take that next step, and we need them to — all of them.”

Elite-level play from Walker plus great play from Wade and Afari will have Kentucky’s defense right back in the conversation of the SEC’s best.

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