Five Kentucky players were tabbed to the preseason All-SEC teams during voting at Media Days in Dallas this week.

Defensive tackle Deone Walker, cornerback Maxwell Hairston, and return specialist Barion Brown were first-team selections, while linebacker Jamon "Pop" Dumas-Johnson and offensive lineman Marques Cox were named to the third team.

Walker, a 6-foot-6, 345-pound native of Detroit, is coming off a sensational sophomore season in 2023. He led the Wildcats in tackles for loss (12.5), quarterback sacks (7.5), and quarterback hurries (8). He also added two pass breakups.

Hairston, a 6-1, 186-pounder and another standout from Detroit, recorded five interceptions in 2023, including four in SEC action. He ranked fifth in the nation in that category. The highlight of his sophomore season was picking off two passes at Vanderbilt, returning both for touchdowns to tie an SEC record.

Brown, a 6-foot-1, 182-pound all-purpose player from Nashville, led the nation with three kickoff return touchdowns as a sophomore and now has a school-record four for his career. He set a new UK record with three in a season and tied the SEC mark held by only four other players.

The Cats' speedy receiver also has caught at least one pass in 26 straight games, which marks every game of his college career, and he currently has 1,167 career yards receiving, which ranks 28th in school history.

Johnson, a 6-1, 245-pound senior from Hyattsville, Md., transferred to Kentucky in 2024 after three seasons at Georgia. He played in 38 career games with 24 starting assignments and helped the Bulldogs win back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. He enters the 2024 season with 126 career tackles, including 17 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble.

After transferring to UK from Northern Illinois prior to the 2023 season, the 6-foot-5, 318-pound Cox starred at left tackle, helping open holes for one of the nation's top running backs. Ray Davis rushed for 1,129 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Cox was also strong in pass protection for quarterback Devin Leary, who tallied the second-most touchdown passes (25) in the SEC.