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Braxton Kelley - Football - University of Kentucky Athletics 56

BraxtonKelley

  • height 6-0
  • Weight 230
  • class Senior
  • High school LaGrange
BIO
  • Freshman All-America (second team) by Rivals.com (2005)
  • Freshman All-America (third team) by The Sporting News (2005)
  • Freshman All-America (honorable mention) by Scout.com (2005)
  • SEC All-Freshman Team by SEC coaches, The Sporting News (2005)
  • UK Most Outstanding First-Year Player by UK coaches (2005)

Made the adjustment from middle linebacker to weakside linebacker in the spring … Was playing very well at the new position by the end of spring ball … Has been the team’s starting middle linebacker since his freshman season … Has appeared in 33 games, starting 29 … Totals 189 tackles in his career … Has five double-digit tackling efforts as a Wildcat, including a personal-best 12 stops vs. Mississippi State in 2006.

2007 (Junior): Played in all 13 games, starting 12 … Made one of the biggest defensive plays in Kentucky football history … In triple overtime, he stuffed LSU on a fourth-and-two play, securing the UK upset victory over the nation’s top team … Led the team with 10 tackles, including one for a loss, against Florida … Had a season-high 11-tackle performance against Kent State … Wrapped up four tackles, and an interception, against Florida Atlantic.

2006 (Sophomore): Started 10 games at middle linebacker … Second on the team in tackles with 82 stops, including a career-high 12 in the win over Mississippi State … Notched team-high 10 tackles in win at Georgia … Averaged 9.8 tackles per game during Kentucky’s four-game win streak.

2005 (Freshman): Received Freshman All-America honors from three different organizations (see above) … Also named to a pair of SEC All-Freshman teams … UK’s Outstanding First-Year Player as chosen by the Wildcat coaches … Started the first seven games before enduring a season-ending knee injury … Became the first UK freshman to start a season opener at linebacker, based on starting lineups available since 1993 … Made 44 tackles on the season, including at least three in every game he played … Had a season-best 11 stops against Florida, including a quarterback sack … Awarded game-captain role vs. South Carolina.

High School: First-team all-state as a junior and senior by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Georgia sportswriters, and the Georgia coaches’ association … Four-year letterman and three-year starter at LaGrange HS, playing mostly at defensive end with occasional time at linebacker … Made 130 tackles during his senior season, featuring 16 tackles for loss and nine quarterback sacks … Was part of the LaGrange juggernaut that won Class AAA state championships during his freshman, junior, and senior seasons, compiled a four-year record of 55-2, and finished his career with a winning streak of 29 games … Career stats feature 373 tackles, 26 QB sacks, and 47 tackles for loss … Coached by Steve Pardue … “Braxton plays every play like it is his last play,” Pardue said. “He plays hard every single snap. He’s one of the best I’ve ever coached. I think Kentucky got a steal in Braxton Kelley.” … Teammate of fellow UK signee DeMoreo Ford … Rejoined former LaGrange teammate Wesley Woodyard at UK … Two-year letterman in basketball … A three-year letterman in track and field as a discus thrower … Placed third in the region in that event as a junior … Honor-roll student … Chose Kentucky over Virginia Tech and South Carolina.

Personal: Born in LaGrange, Ga. … Son of William Kelley and Veronica Kelley … Major is kinesiology.

Community Cats: Served as a mentor for a student at Johnson Elementary School (2006) … Participated in events with the Boy Scouts and UK Children’s Hospital (2008).

Kelley Career Statistics 

YearPositionG-GSTacklesTFL-Yds.Sacks-Yds.FRFCPBU2005Linebacker7-7442-21-10112006Linebacker13-10824.5-91-30122007Linebacker13-12635-140.5-5001Totals33-2918911.5-252.5-9024

Kelley Game-by-Game Statistics
 2005

Opponent       Tackles TFL-Yds. Sacks-Yds.Louisville        6    0         0Idaho State 300at Indiana 500Florida111-11-1at South Carolina700at Ole Miss 71-10Mississippi State5 0 0AuburnINJat VanderbiltINJat GeorgiaINJTennesseeINJTotals442-21-1

2006

OpponentTacklesTFL-Yds.Sacks-Yds.at Louisville21-31-3Texas State100Ole Miss800at Florida700Central Michigan700South Carolina600at LSU61-10at Mississippi State122.5-50Georgia1000Vanderbilt800UL-Monroe900at Tennessee400vs. Clemson200Totals824.5-91-3

2007

OpponentTacklesTFL-Yds.Sacks-Yds.Eastern Kentucky000Kent State1100Louisville50.5-40at Arkansas300Florida Atlantic41-10at South Carolina41.5-50.5-5LSU400Florida101-10Mississippi State61-30at Vanderbilt400at Georgia300Tennessee300vs. Florida State600Totals635-140.5-5
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