KeeshawnSilver

2024 – Junior
• Has played in 30 career games (6 at UNC and 24 at UK) with 23 starts (all at UK)
• Has totaled 47 career tackles, with 43 coming at Kentucky
• Started in all 12 games in 2024 and totaled 26 tackles, a TFL, a sack and a quarterback hurry
• Got a career-high four tackles, a sack and a TFL vs. Auburn
• Also got four tackles vs. Murray State

2023 – Sophomore
• Transferred to Kentucky after playing two seasons at North Carolina
• Totaled four tackles in six games played for the Tar Heels
• Started in all 11 of 12 games played in 2023 for Kentucky … Missed the Missouri game with injury
• Totaled 17 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss
• Earned his first collegiate start in UK’s season opener vs. Ball State … Recorded a tackle and his first career tackle for loss
• Got a career-high tying three tackles in the win over EKU

2022 – r-Freshman (North Carolina)
• Appeared in three games on the defensive line
• Made three tackles against Miami

2021 – Freshman (North Carolina)
• Redshirt season
• Appeared in three games on the defensive line against Georgia State, Virginia and Wofford
• Had one tackle against Virginia

High School
• A five-star prospect coming out of Rocky Mount high school
• Tabbed as the nation’s 8th-best player, the No. 3 defensive end and the No. 1 player in the state according to ESPN
• Listed as the nation’s 32nd-best player, the No. 5 strongside defensive end and the No. 2 player in North Carolina in the 247Sports Composite
• Ranked as the nation’s 85th-best player, the No. 7 strongside defensive end and the No. 5 player in the state by Rivals
• Selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game
• Sports Illustrated All-America candidate prior to his senior season
• Totaled 47 tackles, 7.0 sacks as a senior
• Earned all-state and All-Big East 3-A Conference honors as a junior after recording 47 tackles, seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss
• Coached by Jason Battle
• A multi-sport athlete also ran track and played basketball
• Averaged 7.1 points and 6.1 rebounds over his three-year basketball career

Personal
• Born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina
• Raised by his grandmother, Queen Silver, as his mother, Cynthia, passed away of colon cancer when he was nine years old
• Graduated in December of ’24 from UK with a degree in communication

Community Cats
• Hosted the inaugural Big Kountry Camp in his hometown of Rocky Mount, N.C. in June of ’24, teaching football skills to over 100 kids from his community

Keeshawn Says
• His nickname is “Big Kountry”
• He chose Kentucky because it was the best fit for him and his family
• Three words to describe him are humble, giving and beast
• His go-to karaoke song is “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding
• Most people don’t know that he was going to be a two-sport athlete in college (basketball and football)