Kenny Darby on 247Sports Preseason Freshman All-America Squad

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky freshman wide receiver Kenny Darby was selected to the 247 Sports Preseason True Freshman All-America Team as one of three receivers on the list.

247 Sports picked Darby because, “There’s a long list of options at wide receiver as it’s one of the easier positions to crack the rotation, but Darby gets the nod as he’s already exceeding expectations at Kentucky … the explosive Darby is an elite separator who’s a threat to find the end zone any time the ball finds his hands.”

The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder was a consensus four-star prospect. He was rated as the No. 7 player from the state of Louisiana and the No. 28 national wideout by Rivals.

The Bossier City, Louisiana native caught 83 passes for 1,124 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. He also rushed for 609 yards on 49 carries and added nine touchdowns on the ground. Darby was a First-Team All-District I-5A as an athlete and return specialist.

Darby has received praise from UK head coach Will Stein during fall camp, “I like Kenny Darby. That guy is super talented.”

He was Stein’s first high school signee as Kentucky’s head coach, signing on Dec. 5, 2025, during the early signing period just after Stein’s hire.

Darby paced the state of Louisiana in receiving yards during his junior season when he snagged 100 passes for 1,764 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was a first-team all-state selection by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Kentucky opens its season Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. ET at Kroger Field vs. Youngstown State. The game will air on SEC Network+.