← the board · drewhoover.com · 2024–2026
Kentucky's best defenders since 2024
Grant Godfrey leads with 110 tackles in 21 games at Kentucky; Jamon Johnson had 67.
Every defender with 5 or more games at Kentucky since 2024, ranked by tackles; the lines are each player's tackles game by game, the top 8 drawn. A link opens the player's page, where he has one, or his row on the board.
75 defenders with 5+ games at Kentuckytackles
| # | player | seasons | games | tackles | sacks | tackles for loss | interceptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grant Godfrey | 2024–2026 | 21 | 110 | 2.5 | 7 | 1 |
| 2 | Jamon Johnson | 2024 | 11 | 67 | 3.5 | 8 | 1 |
| 3 | Jordan Castell | 2026 | 7 | 57 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace | 2025–2026 | 17 | 53 | 7.5 | 16 | 1 |
| 5 | Terhyon Nichols | 2024–2026 | 18 | 52 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | Tavion Gadson | 2025–2026 | 14 | 52 | 5.5 | 10 | 0 |
| 7 | Sam Greene | 2025–2026 | 16 | 48 | 2.5 | 6 | 1 |
| 8 | Elijah Barnes | 2026 | 6 | 47 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 9 | Quay'sheed Scott | 2024–2025 | 16 | 45 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | Jerod Smith II | 2024–2025 | 17 | 34 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 11 | Cam Dooley | 2024–2025 | 15 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 12 | Kristian Story | 2024 | 9 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Hasaan Sykes | 2026 | 6 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | Cedric Works | 2025–2026 | 15 | 26 | 1.5 | 5 | 0 |
| 15 | Lorenzo Cowan | 2025–2026 | 11 | 25 | 2.5 | 8 | 0 |
| 16 | Jaden Williams | 2025–2026 | 9 | 22 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | Grant Grayton | 2025–2026 | 8 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Landyn Watson | 2025 | 10 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | Steven Soles Jr. | 2024–2025 | 12 | 16 | 4.5 | 7 | 0 |
| 20 | Kam Olds | 2025 | 9 | 16 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | Jaden Smith | 2025–2026 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | DJ Waller Jr. | 2024–2025 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Aaron Gates | 2026 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | David Gusta | 2025 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | Antwan Smith | 2024–2026 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 26 | Ahmad Breaux | 2026 | 6 | 8 | 1.5 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | Kalen Edwards | 2025–2026 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | Kevis Thomas | 2025–2026 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Ty Bryant | 2023–2026 | 36 | — | — | — | 8 |
| 30 | Jordan Lovett | 2021–2025 | 32 | — | — | — | 9 |
| 31 | Alex Afari Jr. | 2022–2026 | 31 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 32 | J.J. Weaver | 2019–2024 | 27 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 33 | JQ Hardaway | 2023–2025 | 27 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 34 | Kahlil Saunders | 2021–2025 | 24 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 35 | Daveren Rayner | 2023–2025 | 22 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 36 | D'Eryk Jackson | 2020–2024 | 21 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 37 | Zion Childress | 2022–2024 | 21 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 38 | Tre'vonn Rybka | 2021–2024 | 19 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 39 | Deone Walker | 2022–2024 | 18 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 40 | Keeshawn Silver | 2023–2024 | 17 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 41 | Octavious Oxendine | 2021–2024 | 16 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 42 | Josaih Hayes | 2021–2025 | 15 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 43 | Jantzen Dunn | 2023–2025 | 14 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 44 | Maxwell Hairston | 2023–2024 | 13 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 45 | J.D. Harmon | 2012–2016 | 12 | — | — | — | 7 |
| 46 | Nasir Addison | 2023–2026 | 12 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 47 | Tyreese Fearbry | 2023–2024 | 12 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 48 | Jordan Wright | 2019–2022 | 11 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 49 | Mike Edwards | 2015–2018 | 11 | — | — | — | 10 |
| 50 | Trevin Wallace | 2021–2023 | 11 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 51 | Tyrell Ajian | 2018–2022 | 11 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 52 | DeAndre Square | 2019–2022 | 10 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 53 | Noah Matthews | 2023–2024 | 9 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 54 | Yusuf Corker | 2019–2021 | 9 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 55 | Carrington Valentine | 2021–2022 | 8 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 56 | Derrick Baity Jr. | 2016–2018 | 8 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 57 | Dru Phillips | 2021–2023 | 8 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 58 | Jalen Geiger | 2019–2023 | 8 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 59 | Josh Paschal | 2017–2021 | 8 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 60 | Quandre Mosely | 2019–2021 | 8 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 61 | Ashely Lowery | 2011–2014 | 7 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 62 | Jamin Davis | 2018–2020 | 7 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 63 | Davonte Robinson | 2018–2021 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 64 | Jacquez Jones | 2021–2022 | 6 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 65 | Jordan Griffin | 2017–2019 | 6 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 66 | Josh Forrest | 2013–2015 | 6 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 67 | Marquan McCall | 2019–2021 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 68 | Martez Thrower | 2021–2023 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 69 | A.J. Stamps | 2014–2015 | 5 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 70 | Chris Westry | 2015–2016 | 5 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 71 | Kash Daniel | 2016–2019 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 72 | Keaten Wade | 2022–2023 | 5 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 73 | Keidron Smith | 2022 | 5 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 74 | Kendrick Gilbert | 2023–2024 | 5 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 75 | Marcus McWilson | 2014–2016 | 5 | — | — | — | 4 |
Also at Kentucky: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, kickers, punters. Every school and conference: schools, conferences. The games are ESPN's box scores since 2004 (the Method says where they fall short); a position is the roster's, else read off the box score, so a tight end from before 2014 may be listed with the wide receivers.