Ja'Mori Maclin gives Kentucky a deep passing threat

Kentucky was missing someone like Ja’Mori Maclin last season — someone who can burst past his defender and go long for a game-breaking play. The North Texas transfer came to Lexington after a 1,000-yard, nine-touchdown season in 2023 with expectations that he could be that kind of guy for the Wildcats.

We saw Maclin’s potential as a deep threat for quarterback Brock Vandagriff on Saturday in Kentucky’s 31-0 win over Southern Miss as he hauled in a pair of catches for a game-high 66 yards. It was Maclin’s second reception — a 46-yard pull early in the third quarter — that still stands out a day later, as it set up an eventual touchdown for the Wildcats just before the game was canceled due to lightning in the area.

Maclin might not finish with 1,000 yards again in 2024, but he provides Kentucky with an added passing threat that is different than what Barion Brown and Dane Key (who combined for seven catches, 88 yards, and two touchdowns against Southern Miss) bring to the table. Maclin has the juice necessary to leave his defender in the dust and make something happen downfield.

“Ja’Mori is another guy I’ve been telling you about in practice that I thought, when the lights come on and see you him in the stadium, he’s a guy that can make some competitive plays,” Head coach Mark Stoops said postgame. “And he did.”

Ja’Mori Maclin wins on the release. Something Kentucky just didn’t have much of last year. pic.twitter.com/YI6E0BYwnJ

— Adam Luckett (@AdamLuckettKSR) September 1, 2024

Maclin has already passed the trust test with his quarterback, too — not too shocking for the veteran. Although he missed the 2021 season due to injury, Maclin has taken plenty of snaps as a college player. He appeared in 26 games over the last two seasons at North Texas, earning some sort of All-Conference honor both times. Maclin averaged over 17 yards per catch in 2023. This isn’t anything new from the Missouri native.

“Ja’Mori, he did his job, he won on the outside and for a split second he was so wide open, I was like, ‘Just don’t overthrow him.’” Vandagriff said. “He’s done a really good job at the line, just try to put it on him and he’ll make a play. As y’all saw tonight, just put it anywhere near those dudes and they’re going to go get it for you.”

Maclin isn’t just a threat to torch the opposition on a go-ball, either. We saw a small glimpse last night at just how shifty he is too. Although the play was ultimately called back due to a holding penalty on Kentucky, Maclin received a touch-pass in the first quarter from Vandagriff in the backfield and danced his way around a pair of defenders near the sideline before being pulled down. It would have been a short gain had it stood, but the point is that Maclin can impact the game in various ways when he has the ball in his hands.

Alongside Brown and Key, Maclin makes up an incredibly talented trio of pass-catchers for Vandagriff and new offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan. All three put on a show in their own right during the opener.

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