We're getting close to the end of the 2020 Cats Illustrated Mock UK Football Draft.
Here's an update with Rounds 21 and 22 with accompanying thoughts from the draft managers.
ROUND 21
Travis Graf (Pick 61): EARNEST SANDERS
"Personally, I think Sanders has the highest long-term upside of any receiver on Kentucky’s roster. Standing at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Sanders already has a nice frame as he steps foot on campus. I’ve asked multiple Kentucky signees who they think the sleeper of the class is and who they think the most athletic player in the class is, and their answer for both is Earnest Sanders. Sanders is an elite athlete on the field and he throws down thunderous dunks on the basketball court. Despite not camping, he still had offers from schools like Penn State, Michigan State. Minnesota and others."
Justin Rowland (Pick 62): JAKE POPE
"Pope will be my final offensive lineman. The others I've selected are Landon Young, Naasir Watkins, Austin Dotson, and Nick Lewis. There will have to be some position shuffling and frankly I'm not sure who would be best suited to play center but I've managed to fill out the all-important offensive line with a group that's just about as experienced and talented as I think you could given that you're dividing one actual roster between three teams. Pope seemed like a prototypical tackle prospect coming out of Florida a couple of classes ago and the S&C program has already done a lot of good for him."
Jeff Drummond (Pick 63): DEMARCUS HARRIS
"A number of factors led to all three of us being patient with the wide receiver position. For starters, we didn't have much to go on from the 2019 season after the Cats wound up in an emergency quarterback situation with Lynn Bowden Jr. Kentucky played a couple of games with single-digit pass attempts, so the receiver corps weren't able to show us what they were really capable of doing. The Cats have a lot of guys with strong potential and not much separation on the depth chart, so we could wait until these last rounds to scoop them up. Harris is one of those guys. The 6-foot-1, 181-pound Florida native is reportedly having a very nice spring so far. Eddie Gran told us to keep an eye on him last season. He's a kid who put up crazy numbers as a high school senior, catching 73 balls for 1,582 yards and 16 touchdowns in the competitive Sunshine State."
ROUND 22
Drummond (Pick 64): AKEEM HAYES
"I'll go with another receiver with this pick, the speedy and elusive Hayes. The sophomore product of Florida will be a nice slot option for me alongside Allen Dailey and Demarcus Harris, and he can also contribute on special teams in the return game. He doesn't have the bulk of a Lynn Bowden Jr., but the UK staff is hoping he can bring some of those splash plays to the table. His explosiveness will be something the Cats will want to take advantage of in 2020."
Rowland (Pick 65): B.J. ALEXANDER
"Right now I'm just filling out my receiving corps. Alexander has been in the program for a little while and he'll join Clevan Thomas and Bryce Oliver, two potential starters, as targets for Terry Wilson on my squad. At this point I'm not sure anybody knows a whole lot about what they're getting because a lot of these guys haven't made an impact yet and we're going on limited knowledge, so as usual I will go with guys who have been in the program a little while longer."
Graf (Pick 66): BEAU ALLEN
"After scouting him last fall, Allen is the most accurate quarterback that Kentucky has on their roster. He doesn’t have the biggest arm, but can make every short and intermediate throw on the field. Every running back and wide receiver on my roster is a threat to make plays in those areas of the field, so I was willing to wait to draft Allen, a quarterback who can spread the wealth to my skill players."
ROSTER CHECKS
Team Graf
OL Drake Jackson
DB Davonte Robinson
LB Boogie Watson
OL Luke Fortner
WR Josh Ali
DL Phil Hoskins
DL Marquan McCall
DB Cedrick Dort
OL Kenneth Horsey
LB JJ Weaver
DL Kordell Looney
WR Michael Drennen
OL Jeremy Flax
LB Jared Casey
WR Isaiah Epps
LB KD McDaniel
RB Jutahn McClain
DB Tyrell Ajian
OL Eli Cox
DB Jalen Geiger
WR Earnest Sanders
QB Beau Allen
Team Rowland
QB Terry Wilson
OL Landon Young
DL/LB Josh Paschal
LB Jamin Davis
DB Brandin Echols
RB Kavosiey Smoke
LB Jordan Wright
OL Naasir Watkins
DB Yusuf Corker
DB Quandre Mosely
DL Davoan Hawkins
DL Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald
OL Austin Dotson
TE Keaton Upshaw
WR Clevan Thomas
WR Bryce Oliver
OL Nick Lewis
DB Taj Dodson
RB Travis Tisdale
DL Cavon Butler
OL Jake Pope
WR B.J. Alexander
Team Drummond
OL Darian Kinnard
DL Quinton Bohanna
LB DeAndre Square
LB Chris Oats
RB AJ Rose
RB Chris Rodriguez
DB Kelvin Joseph
DL Justin Rogers
TE Justin Rigg
OL Quintin Wilson
DB Jamari Brown
DB Moses Douglass
QB Sawyer Smith
LB Xavier Peters
DB MJ Devonshire
WR Allen Dailey
OL John Young
OL RJ Adams
LB Marquez Bembry
DL Qua Mahone
WR Demarcus Harris
WR Akeem Hayes