Three Wildcats Named to Senior Bowl Top 300
Three University of Kentucky football players – Joshua Braun, Ja’Mori Maclin and Kam Olds – have been selected to the inaugural 2026 Senior Bowl Top 300 List, it was announced Wednesday. The game – scheduled for January 31, 2026 – features college football’s top National Football League Draft prospects who have completed their collegiate eligibility.
The newly-sponsored Panini Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game has taken place in Mobile, Alabama the past 75 years. More than 900 NFL personnel, including key decision-makers from all 32 teams, and over 1100 media members from around the country were credentialed last year. This past April, the game produced 106 total picks, representing 40 percent of the entire NFL draft.
Braun, of Live Oak, Florida, is a 6-foot-6, 340-pound offensive lineman who transferred to Kentucky in January after two seasons at Arkansas and three seasons at Florida. He has played in 50 career games with 32 career starts. Last season at Arkansas, he started in all 12 games and played an integral role in helping Arkansas rush for 200-plus yards in its first three games of the season. In 2023, he was named second-team All-SEC by The Associated Press.
He’s been listed on preseason All-SEC teams this season by Phil Steele, the league’s coaches and Athlon Sports.
Braun earned a bachelor’s degree in classical studies from Florida in Dec. of ‘22 and a master’s of business administration from Arkansas in Dec. of ’24. He is currently working on a graduate certificate in nonprofit management at UK.
Maclin, a 5-11, 191-pound senior wide receiver of Kirkwood, Missouri, is in his second season with the Wildcats after playing two seasons at North Texas (2022-23) and two seasons at Missouri (2020-21).
Last season for the Wildcats, Maclin played in all 12 games with three starts and totaled 13 catches for 313 yards and four scores, averaging 24.1 yards per catch. He was also UK’s primary punt returner with 16 punt returns for 130 yards (8.1 average).
In his career, Maclin has played in 43 career games (5 at Missouri, 26 at UNT and 12 at UK) with 16 starts (13 at UNT and 3 at UK). He has 87 career receptions for 1,702 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Maclin graduated in the fall of ’23 from North Texas with a degree in integrative studies and went on to earn an undergraduate certificate in leadership studies from UK in December of ’24. He is currently working on a second degree in criminal justice.
Olds, a 6-4, 252-pound senior outside linebacker of Richmond, Virginia, is in his first season at Kentucky after playing one season at Kent State (2024) and two seasons at Buffalo (2022-23). He has totaled 51 career tackles with 7.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, two quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, a pass breakup and an interception.
Last season at Kent State, he saw action in all 12 games with two starts and had 42 tackles with 7.0 TFL, 6.0 sacks, two QBH and an interception.
Olds is on track to graduate in December of ’25 with a degree in communication.
The Senior Bowl takes great pride in identifying and showcasing the “Best of the Best.” The results speak for themselves: 50% of the players selected in the top three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft were Panini Senior Bowl participants. In keeping with that high standard, the Senior Bowl made a deliberate decision to be more selective, thus moving away from the 850 players featured on last year’s watch list and narrowing the focus to a more exclusive group of 300.
This list represents more than just a preseason acknowledgment; it reflects the highest standards in college football. Being named to the Senior Bowl Top 300 list is a meaningful honor and signals that the prospects on this list are viewed among the very best in the country. Only draft eligible players are featured on this list.
These 300 players are the Best of the Best in college right now, according to the Senior Bowl Scouting Department. However, this is just the beginning, and this season is the most important part of the evaluation process. Just because a player is listed on the Top 300 list does not guarantee him an invitation, nor if a player is not currently on the list does it mean he will not be evaluated with the same expertise and attention-to-detail as the players currently on this list. It is very much possible and likely that many players not on this list will earn an invitation to the Panini Senior Bowl depending on how well they perform this season.
The Senior Bowl Top 300 features only players eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft. Of the 300 prospects selected, 54 are underclassmen. Due to the uncertainty surrounding underclassmen eligibility, the Senior Bowl remains cautious in their inclusion—only featuring those whom our scouting department believes are highly likely to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft following a successful regular season.
More information on the game and the entire watch list can be found at SeniorBowl.com.
Kentucky opens its season on Saturday, August 30 at 12:45 p.m. ET in Kroger Field vs. Toledo.
