Seven Wildcats Receive Preseason All-SEC Honors from Phil Steele

Before members of the media gather in Atlanta at SEC Media Days to pick the preseason All-SEC teams, Phil Steele has tabbed seven Kentucky football players to his All-SEC squads.

Chris Rodriguez is Kentucky’s headliner as the only First Team All-SEC selection. Steele also named the Kentucky tailback a Second-Team All-American. Rodriguez enters his fifth year with the Kentucky program with 2,739 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns, the most among all active SEC rushers. Last fall he set a school record by notching nine 100-yard games. He needs needs 1,134 yards in 2022 to break the Kentucky career rushing yards record held by Benny Snell Jr. (3,873).

Tayvion Robinson received a rare spot on two teams. The Virginia Tech transfer is a second team selection as a punt returner and appears on the third team as a wide receiver. Last year he led the Hokies in receptions (44) and receiving touchdowns (5).

Two former Mayo Clinic Comeback Players of the Year join Robinson on the third team. Senior offensive guard Kenneth Horsey will represent UK at SEC Media Days. JJ Weaver looks to build on his promising 2021 season that was made possible thanks to a quick recovery from ACL surgery. Another player attending SEC Media Days, DeAndre Square, is a third team selection at linebacker.

Unlike most outlets, Phil Steele also has a fourth team of All-SEC selections. Colin Goodfellow makes an appearance after finishing third in the league with 45.94 yards per punt in 2021. Former five-star recruit Justin Rogers will enter his first season as a full-time starter on the Kentucky defensive line. A starter in four games last fall for the injured Marquan McCall, he tallied 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

You may notice one big omission: Will Levis. Even though he’s the fourth-ranked draft eligible quarterback and Steele’s No. 16 overall NFL Draft prospect, Bryce Young, Hendon Hooker, Will Rogers and Anthony Richardson received All-SEC honors.

The preseason picks will not matter when Kentucky opens the 2022 campaign against Miami, Oh. on September 3. Only 50 days until it’s Football time in the Bluegrass.