Kendrick Law Selected in NFL Draft Fifth Round by Detroit
PITTSBURGH – Kentucky senior wide receiver Kendrick Law was chosen by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round (168th overall pick) of the 2026 National Football League Draft on Saturday in Pittsburgh.
A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Law transferred to Kentucky in 2025 after playing three seasons at Alabama. His year at Kentucky was the best of his career, leading the Wildcats in pass receptions (53) and receiving yards (540). He averaged 10.2 yards per reception and had three touchdown catches.
The speedy Law had two catches for 103 yards against Tennessee, including a career-long 71-yard touchdown. He led all receivers with six catches for 49 yards in the win at Auburn, including a nifty 13-yard catch-and-run that was the game’s only touchdown. He notched career highs with 11 catches for 124 yards in the win over Tennessee Tech, the first Wildcat with 11 receptions in a game since Wan’Dale Robinson in 2021.
Following the season, he was invited to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl and participated in the NFL Combine.
During his three seasons at Alabama, Law caught 33 passes for 343 yards and a touchdown. He also excelled on special teams in kick coverage.
Law’s career totals for his time at Kentucky and Alabama include:
- 86 receptions for 883 yards, 10.3-yard average and three touchdowns
- 16 rushing attempts for 8.3 yards, 5.2-yard average
- 31 kickoff returns for710 yards, a 22.9-yard average
- 10 tackles on special teams
Law earned his bachelor’s degree from Alabama in December of 2024 with a degree in consumer science. He added an undergraduate certification in business from UK in December of ’25.
Law is the third Wildcat taken in the 2026 selection process, joining guard Jalen Farmer (fourth round, Indianapolis) and Jager Burton (fifth round, Green Bay) as the draft continues through round seven on Saturday.
Kentucky/NFL Draft Notes:
- This is the eighth consecutive draft that Kentucky has had at least two players selected (2019-26) and a Wildcat has been chosen in the fourth round or higher in all eight drafts.
- Kentucky has had at least three players drafted six times in the last eight years.
- Law is the first Kentucky wide receiver drafted since Wan’Dale Robinson in 2022.
- Law is the ninth Wildcat drafted by the Lions, including Charlie Ishmael (1941), Henry Herzog (1958), Tom Rodgers (1961), Dwight Little (1968), Artose Pinner (2003), Larry Warford (2013), Logan Stenberg (2020) and Josh Paschal (2022).
