Nineteen former Kentucky Wildcats are on NFL rosters as the 2022 season begins Thursday night.

It marks the most former UK players in the NFL since 21 were featured during the 1987 season.

Kentucky had four NFL Draft picks in the 2022 NFL Draft and each made 53-man rosters – wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson (2nd, New York Giants); defensive end Josh Paschal (2nd, Detroit); offensive lineman Luke Fortner (3rd, Jacksonville); and offensive lineman Darian Kinnard (5th, Kansas City).

Six other Cats are with NFL teams as members of an organization’s practice squad: WR Josh Ali (Atlanta), S Yusuf Corker (Cincinnati), WR Lynn Bowden Jr. (Patriots), DB Quandre Mosely (Seahawks), TE Justin Rigg (Pittsburgh) and OL Jon Toth (Washington).

The first Sunday night primetime game of 2022 will feature former UK safety Mike Edwards of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against a pair of UK players (defensive tackle Quinton Bohanna and cornerback Kelvin Joseph) of the Dallas Cowboys.

Former UK offensive coordinator Liam Coen will also be making his return to the NFL during Thursday night's highly anticipated opener for the Super Bowl champion LA Rams against the Buffalo Bills, one of the top contenders in the AFC.

List of the Wildcats in the NFL and their years at Kentucky:

Carolina Panthers

Phil Hoskins, DT (2017-18, 2020)

Marquan McCall, DT (2018-21)

Dallas Cowboys

Quinton Bohanna, NT (2017-20)

Kelvin Joseph, CB (2020)

Detroit Lions

Josh Paschal, DE (2017-21)

Logan Stenberg, OG (2016-19)

Green Bay Packers

Randall Cobb, WR (2008-10)

Jacksonville Jaguars

Josh Allen, DE/LB (2015-18) * Team captain

Luke Fortner, C (2017-21)

Kansas City Chiefs

Darian Kinnard, OL (2018-21)

Minnesota Vikings

Za’Darius Smith, OLB (2013-14)

New Orleans Saints

Landon Young, OT (2016-17, 19-20)

New York Giants

Wan’Dale Robinson, WR (2021)

New York Jets

Brandin Echols, CB (2019-20)

Pittsburgh Steelers

Benny Snell Jr., RB (2016-18)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Edwards, S (2015-2018)

Tennessee Titans

Bud Dupree, OLB (2011-14)

Lonnie Johnson Jr., CB (2017-18)

Washington Football Team

Jamin Davis, ILB (2018-20)