Kenny Darby an On3 Midseason Freshman All-American
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky freshman wide receiver Kenny Darby was named to the On3 Midseason True Freshman All-America Team for a stellar start to his collegiate career.
Darby owns the distinction as Will Stein’s first high school commit. He was rated as the No. 7 player from Louisiana and No. 28 nationally for his position and has immediately made an impact for the Wildcats in 2026.
The Bossier City, Louisiana native has totaled team highs in catches (34) and yards (436) with three touchdowns. His 436 receiving yards are the 10th-most in the Southeastern Conference and 59th nationally among all players.
Among freshmen, he ranks first among league foes and is fourth nationally. Darby is averaging 4.86 catches per game, which ranks as the 10th-most in the SEC and also 59th in the nation.
His 34 catches through the first seven games are the most ever by a UK freshman. He also set a UK freshman record with 12 receptions in the comeback win at South Carolina. Those 12 catches went for 96 yards, and he also snared a 17-yard touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter. He made one of the biggest plays of the game in overtime. With UK facing 3rd-and-8 yards to go, in a must-have-touchdown situation, he caught a short pass, darted for the first down, then dragged tacklers all the way to the one-yard line.
He is a two-time SEC Freshman of the Week, winning the award in consecutive weeks following the South Carolina and LSU games. Darby also hauled in On3 True Freshman Wide Receiver of the Week award for his performance against the Gamecocks. Against LSU, he made four receptions for 79 yards.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has hauled in three or more catches in six games. He had a 42-yard score in the upset win at No. 9/8 Texas A&M and also logged a touchdown in the home opener vs. Youngstown State that went for 37 yards. He also leads the team with nine explosive plays, which are catches of 20 or more yards.
Darby and the Cats return home on Saturday to face Vanderbilt. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will air live on SEC Network.
For more information on the UK football team, visit ukathletics.com/football and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and X.
