CBS Sports unveiled its rankings of the Top 151 college football players heading into the 2024 season Monday.
Four Kentucky players made the list, with defensive lineman Deone Walker the highest-ranked Wildcats player at No. 40 overall. Walker was followed by receiver/return specialist Barion Brown at No. 46.
Linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson (No. 113 overall) and cornerback Maxwell Hairston made the list (No. 124), as well.
Walker enters his junior season having been named to various preseason awards watch lists, including the Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Lott IMPACT Trophy.
College football analyst Blake Brockermeyer said of Walker:
“The All-SEC defensive tackle is a presence in the middle and has tons of game experience, starting 25 of the last 26 for the Wildcats. Walker is surprisingly quick and athletic in condensed spaces and has a knack for finding the football while he’s being double teamed. His road to 7.5 sacks last season was paved by power first, counters and hand-swipes second. Opponents want nothing to do with him, I promise you that. There are some T’Vondre Sweat vibes here.”
In ESPN’s rankings last week, Walker was ranked the No. 21 overall player heading into 2024.
The second highest ranked Wildcat on CBS Sports’ list, Brown finished last season with 40 receptions for 439 yards and three touchdowns. He also returned three kicks for scores.
Brockermeyer had this to say about Brown:
“An explosive playmaker in multiple phases for the Wildcats. Brown doubles as a returner and has the ability to take it to the house any time he touches the ball, scoring three touchdowns on returns last year. Brown’s only knock is he suffered six drops last year and lost two fumbles. Has the ability to be one of the top receivers in the country but needs the ball more.”
Dumas-Johnson transferred to Kentucky from Georgia, where he was part of the Bulldogs’ 2022 national championship team that went 15-0. He played in nine games a season ago before suffering a broken forearm in Georgia’s Nov. 4 win at Missouri. Dumas-Johnson had 34 tackles (29 solo), 3.5 sacks and two passes defended in 2023.
For his part, Hairston had five interceptions last season, good for fifth in the nation and first in the SEC. He had two memorable interceptions returned for touchdown in Kentucky’s 45-28 win at Vanderbilt on Sept. 23, adding a forced fumbled and six passes defended across 13 games. Hairston was the only other ranked Wildcats player on ESPN’s list at No. 84 overall.
Kentucky opens the season in prime time on Aug. 31 at Kroger Field against Southern Miss, Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on SEC Network.