Defensive Back Keidron Smith Transfers to Kentucky

Former Ole Miss defensive back Keidron (pronounced KEY-drun) Smith has signed to play football at the University of Kentucky, head coach Mark Stoops announced Friday. He will be eligible immediately and will have one season left to play.

“We are very excited to have Keidron join our Wildcat family,” Stoops said. “He is a veteran player who started and saw a lot of snaps at corner and safety in the Southeastern Conference. He’s versatile, he’s intelligent and he’s mature. I like his competitive nature and he’s a great addition to our defense.”

“In four years at Ole Miss, Smith appeared in every game for the Rebels, which included 47 contests with 22 starting assignments. The two-year starter totaled 223 total tackles, 21 passes defended, five forced fumbles, five interceptions, eight tackles for loss and one sack. He finished with 47 or more tackles in each of his four seasons played in Oxford.”

As a senior in 2021, Smith ranked fifth on the team in tackles with 64 and tied for second on the team with two interceptions. He also was the recipient of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award which is presented annually to an Ole Miss upperclassman defensive player that embodies the spirit of Mullins – courage, leadership, perseverance, and determination. Mullins had his Ole Miss career come to an end during the 1989 Homecoming game against Vanderbilt when he was paralyzed after making a tackle. After returning to his studies at Ole Miss, Mullins passed away May 6, 1991.

Smith, a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, was a three-star recruit out of Oxbridge Academy in 2018. He ranked as the No. 110 ranked cornerback in the nation and was tabbed the No. 127 player in Florida by ESPN. He also was an excellent basketball player, scoring 1,000 points in his prep career.

Smith will reconnect with former Ole Miss teammate Jacquez Jones at Kentucky. Jones, a “Super Senior” and inside linebacker from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, transferred to UK in 2021 after three seasons at Ole Miss. He led the Wildcats in tackles (86) in his first season in Lexington while also charting four pass breakups, 3.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Kentucky football is slated to play eight homes games this fall. The schedule includes SEC matchups against South Carolina (Oct. 8), Mississippi State (Oct. 15), Vanderbilt (Nov. 12) and defending national champion Georgia (Nov. 19). UK will also host nonconference foes Miami University (Sept. 3), Youngstown State (Sept. 17), Northern Illinois (Sept. 24) and Louisville (Nov. 26).

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