The Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday evening, wrapping up the NFL season. The long offseason for football is here.
Cats Illustrated takes a closer look at how former Wildcats fared in NFL action this year.
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez had 35 carries for 173 yards (4.9 YPC) and two touchdowns. His best game of the season was 13 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown in a 42-19 win against the Tennessee Titans late in the season.
Speaking of the Titans, quarterback Will Levis more than doubled his career passing total this year. He completed 190/301 passes (63.1%) for 2,091 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, posting a 27.8 QBR, which ranked 32nd in the NFL. The Titans finished 3-14 on the season. Levis had some bright moments, such as when he completed 18/24 for 278 yards and two touchdowns in a 32-27 win against the Houston Texans in the middle of the year, but the Titans will have to improve a lot.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Mike Edwards missed some time with a hamstring injury this year but was a rotation player for the NFC South team. He had 12 tackles and a breakup on the season. Those numbers were down for a player who has 247 career tackles and eight picks since he arrived in the league in 2019.
Former Kentucky offensive tackle Darian Kinnard did start one game for the Eagles later in the season, playing 73 snaps, and he saw 83 snaps for the season. Kinnard won his third Super Bowl this season.
New York Jets cornerback Brandin Echols had 40 tackles (29 solo) and two interceptions this year. The former sixth round pick was graded at 61.2 overall for the season by PFF. He covered well but tackling was up and down.
The Minnesota Vikings picked up former first round pick Jamin Davis after he was released by the Washington Commanders in the middle of the season. The Commanders gave Davis 36 starts since he was drafted. He finished the year with 18 tackles and a sack.
New York Giants receiver Wan'Dale Robinson finished 13th in the NFL with 93 receptions. He only had 699 yards and three touchdowns but was an effective volume receiver. While Robinson didn't have any 100 yard games he did have double digit targets in three of the Giants' final five games and in six games overall.
Dru Phillips was a breakout player for the Giants. The first-year cornerback had 71 tackles (46 solo), a sack, two forced fumbles, and an interception. PFF gave Phillips an excellent 77.5 score for the season. He was very good in coverage (75.8) and well rounded in every part of his game.
Landon Young saw extensive action for the New Orleans Saints this year. They were in a pinch on the interior of the line in the middle of the season so Young saw a lot of time at left and right guard. The results were mixed but he did play 393 snaps and scored 55.7 (PFF) for the season.
San Diego Chargers linebacker Bud Dupree had 28 tackles (18 solo) and six sacks, bringing him to a career total of 59 sacks since he was a first round pick in the 2015 draft.
Former Butkus winner and Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen had 45 tackles (26 solo), eight sacks, a forced fumble, and two breakups. He now has 53 sacks for his career since he was the No. 7 pick in the 2019 Draft. Jacksonville finished 4-13 and the defense will be in focus this offseason, but Hines-Allen could be someone they try to build around on that side of the ball.
Former Wildcat offensive lineman Luke Fortner is also with the Jaguars. He played just 13 snaps in four games.
Carrington Valentine has become a very well-known NFL player with the Green Bay Packers and the former seventh round pick had 32 tackles (18 solo), two forced fumbles, and two recoveries this season. Those were Valentine's first two interceptions as an NFL player. Valentine played 546 snaps and scored 70.3 (PFF). He was one of the NFL's top players in Week 15 against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Detroit Lions had an incredible regular season and Za'Darius Smith was a big part of the team. He had 35 tackles (22 solo) and nine sacks for the NFC North champs. Smith now has 69 sacks for his career. He was a fourth round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Josh Paschal is also with the Lions and the 2022 second rounder had 21 tackles (15 solo) and two sacks as a defensive end with the team.
Former Kentucky tight end Brenden Bates didn't have any catches for the Cleveland Browns but he did see 26 snaps spread out over four games.
Third round rookie Trevin Wallace made his stamp on the Carolina Panthers with 64 tackles (36 solo), a sack, two forced fumbles, and a recovery. He missed the end of the season because he needed surgery to repair a shoulder injury he sustained during the season.
Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis, a fourth round pick after his year at Kentucky, had 113 carries for 442 yards and three scores this season. He had 20 carries for 97 yards against the Jets early in the season and finished the season with his second best game of the year, 64 yards against the New England Patriots.
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Quinton Bohanna played six snaps in one game, against the Detroit Lions. He saw more than 200 snaps in 2021 and 2022 with Dallas but has played more sparingly over the past couple of years with the Seahawks, Titans, and Lions. He was signed as a reserve late in the year.
Last year former Kentucky defensive back Keidron Smith was signed as a practice squad member for the Denver Broncos. He played sparingly, logging seven tackles, before he was waived in November.
After the Baltimore Ravens signed former Kentucky guard Tashawn Manning he was signed to the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad before the start of the year. He was signed to a futures deal.
Quarterback Devin Leary was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of last year's draft and he signed a future contract last month.
