Kentucky Football JUCO Success Stories

Dennious Jackson became the final addition to the Wildcats’ 2024 recruiting class when the JUCO DT announced his commitment to Kentucky on Monday afternoon. The late addition should bolster depth in the trenches after the Kentucky defensive line suffered a string of injuries during spring practice.

The role of junior college transfers in high-major college football has been diminished since the establishment of the transfer portal. Before the portal opened for players at all levels, JUCO transfers set themselves apart by giving programs an opportunity to add an older athlete with college football experience and the ability to play immediately.

Even though that edge was neutralized, Kentucky went back to the JUCO ranks for two additions to the trenches in 2024, Jackson and OT Anfernee Crease. It’s unclear how much they will contribute this fall, but over the years Mark Stoops’ staff has shown an ability to get the most out of players from the junior college ranks.

Za’Darius Smith

One of the first significant recruiting wins of the Mark Stoops era, Za’Darius Smith was a Top 15 JUCO player in the country when the four-star talent followed his East Mississippi DL coach, Jimmy Brumbaugh, to Lexington.

The BBN’s original Big Z, his charisma quickly made him a fan favorite. Late to the game, he did not step foot onto the gridiron until his senior year of high school. By the time he arrived in Lexington, Smith was the ideal counterbalance to Bud Dupree. A stout edge setter, over two seasons he tallied 120 tackles, 14.5 for loss, and 11.0 sacks. The former JUCO prospect was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft and has made just shy of $78 million in career earnings over 10 NFL seasons.

Stephen Johnson

Mark Stoops’ tenure at Kentucky would have been short-lived if not for this former JUCO quarterback. Stephen Johnson was an afterthought when he arrived on campus in January of 2016. Following a career-ending back injury to highly-touted QB Drew Barker, Johnson stepped in to save the day.

With Johnson under center, he orchestrated a dramatic turnaround in 2016 that ended with the undersized JUCO QB out-dueling Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson. Following a 7-5 campaign that sent the Cats to a bowl game for the first time since 2010, he battled through injuries to lead Kentucky to a victory over Tennessee at Kroger Field, the highlight of another 7-5 season. Johnson ranks tenth in career passing yards at Kentucky with 4,324 passing yards.

CJ “Poop” Johnson

Most athletes answer questions from the media through a filter. CJ Johnson did not have one of those. When Alan Cutler asked him how he maintained his weight after a 2014 practice, the defensive tackle from New York provided an atypical response.

“I guess it’s because I poop so much,” Johnson said with a straight face. “I try to poop like five times a day, three times a day. It’s hard to keep weight when you’ve got so much going out.”

The video made its rounds on the late-night TV circuit and years later it inspired him to author a children’s book on potty training. The great part about it? His game was no laughing matter.

Despite playing defensive tackle, a position that rarely stuffs the stat sheet, he was second on the team in tackles in 2015 with 67. He also had 8.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, and an interception to earn Second Team All-SEC honors. Johnson went on to have a successful run in the CFL before hanging up the cleats for good.

Lonnie Johnson

I’ve been in countless media scrums over the last decade and Lonnie Johnson holds the distinction of being the only interview subject to bring a group of adult reporters to tears. In his first interview at UK, he made many laugh when detailing how Kentucky’s conditioning made him sick, then brought out the exact opposite emotions when the Gary, IN native detailed his friend’s death to gun violence.

The outstanding athlete overcame many obstacles before finally finding his footing at Kentucky. The former four-star talent played like it in 2017 and 2018, starting in 18 straight games for the Wildcats. He totaled 64 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 12 PBUs, two blocked kicks, a forced fumble, and an interception in Kentucky’s Citrus Bowl victory over Penn State. A second round NFL Draft pick, he’s beginning his sixth season this fall with the Houston Texans.

Brandin Echols

Many players are forced to take the JUCO route because of academics. Brandin Echols did it to prove he could play defense. He was an outstanding high school quarterback in Mississippi, but too small to play the position at the next level. Even after spending a couple years in the secondary at the junior college level, he was barely a Top 100 JUCO prospect when he signed with Kentucky in 2019.

Echols started in 22 straight games for the Wildcats and proved that he played much bigger than his size. A physical player in space, he recorded 108 tackles, 4.5 TFL, two forced fumbles, and an interception over two seasons in Lexington. Selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Echols earned his way into a starting role for the New York Jets and made headlines when he got Tom Brady to sign the football he picked off. That’s still not the best play he’s made in his football career.

Jeremy Flax

The most recent Kentucky football JUCO success story comes from the trenches. Kentucky fought off Auburn to secure a commitment from Jeremy Flax, the top-ranked offensive tackle and No. 12 overall JUCO talent in the 2020 class.

Like many linemen, Flax was a slow-cooker. He started in 12 of 13 games in 2022, but his job was not secure entering his senior season. Kentucky signed USC transfer Courtland Ford to presumably take his spot. Flax responded to the challenge and performed well, starting in 11 games last fall and earning SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for his performance in the win over Florida. He just missed the NFL Draft cut and signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent.