UK football opens season with 14 former players on NFL rosters

The NFL season starts with 14 former University of Kentucky players on the league’s rosters.

That includes perennial star receiver Randall Cobb, plus six linebackers led by reigning Super Bowl champion Danny Trevathan and rookie Josh Forrest, who could be in the Los Angeles Rams’ starting lineup Monday night.

Randall Cobb

The Green Bay Packers wide receiver had his breakout year in 2014 — 91 catches for 1,287 yards, including 12 touchdowns — before taking a step back in 2015 with 72 catches, 829 yards and six TDs.

The absence of fellow wideout Jordy Nelson, who missed the entire season, was primarily to blame. But in addition to the extra defensive attention Cobb received, he was playing through injuries for much of the season.

“I think the biggest thing with Randall Cobb is he’s healthy,” Packers Coach Mike McCarthy said, according to a report on the team’s website. “Randall played the whole season last year injured. He was hurt in the Philadelphia game, the third preseason game last year, and he fought that all year.”

The Packers expect a return to form this season.

“His ability to get in space and make plays from any position on the field, that’s the part of Randall — as a play-caller and when you build a game plan — that you love about him,” McCarthy said. “His ability to break tackles and he’s so smart with the football, too.”

Cobb declined to make any bold predictions for a bounce-back season.

“They’ll see,” Cobb said. “I don’t need to say anything. My play will speak for it.”

ESPN.com projection: 82 catches, 973 receiving yards, seven TDs.

Danny Trevathan

Trevathan is coming off a season in which he led the Denver Broncos’ top-ranked defense in tackles with 109. And he recovered two fumbles in the team’s 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

But now it’s time for a new start with the Chicago Bears, who signed the inside linebacker as a free agent. He’s hoping to help return the Bears’ defense to its former glory, and he says he’s not going on cruise control after winning a championship

“I love the game of football and I love being around guys who love the game of football,” Trevathan told ChicagoBears.com. “I want to be great at it. I did some things, but I still want to have a long career out here. I don’t want to just rely on that one year and just be good.”

ESPN.com projection: 127 tackles, one interception, one sack.

Avery Williamson

Williamson, entering his third NFL season, has already started 27 games at inside linebacker for the Tennessee Titans. He led the team in tackles last year with 102, and he also had 3 1/2 sacks and an interception.

He’s hoping the team’s switch to a new head coach — Mike Mularkey — will translate to more wins for a team that has struggled mightily the past two seasons (2-14 and 3-13).

“I really do feel like we are headed in the right direction,” Williamson told TitansOnline.com. “I feel like we have the right people to get some more wins.”

He also talked about how he hoped to improve this past offseason.

“I would say the biggest thing is making sure I am getting more explosive, and moving better on the field. I want to be a lot quicker than last year,’’ Williamson said. “There were a few plays I felt I could have made last year that I didn’t and the quicker you can be, the more explosive you are, the less plays you’ll miss.”

ESPN.com projection: 108 tackles, one interception, three sacks.

Wesley Woodyard

The ninth-year linebacker, who went undrafted in 2008, is coming off a season in which he made 87 tackles in his second season with the Tennessee Titans.

Woodyard, known to be tough against the run, stopped the rusher at or behind the line of scrimmage on 14.3 percent of run plays last season, which led all linebackers.

The analytics site Pro Football Focus also had him posting the highest run-stop percentage of any inside linebacker in the league.

“That was pretty cool to see,” Woodyard told The Tennesseean. “But at the end of the day, that’s my job to stop the run and make plays.

“It’s definitely an honor anytime you are No. 1 in a category in the NFL. And anytime you can beat out (Panthers star) Luke Kuechly, that’s a huge honor and something I’m going to keep pressing for.”

ESPN.com projection: 88 tackles, three sacks.

Za’Darius Smith

Smith made 30 tackles, including 5 1/2 sacks, as a rookie. The Baltimore Ravens were already planning an expanded role for the outside linebacker this season, but even more so with former Louisville star Elvis Dumervil out for the team’s opener with an injury.

“I know my responsibility, and I know that when one man goes down, it’s next man up,” Smith told BaltimoreRavens.com. “I’m going to take advantage of that and do the best I can. I got confident coming off last year.”

ESPN.com projection: 17 tackles, two sacks.

Jacob Tamme

Tamme, who starred in high school at Boyle County, produced one of his best NFL seasons in his first year with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. He had 59 catches for 657 yards and one score.

He held off rookie Austin Cooper for the team’s starting spot at tight end this season.

“This offseason was one of the most exciting offseasons ever for me,” Tamme told TheFalcoholic.com.” I really improved in a lot of areas working in (offensive coordinator) Kyle Shanahan’s offense. As long as you have the desire to improve, compete, and work on your craft, I think anyone has a chance at longevity in this league.”

ESPN.com projection: 43 catches, 436 yards, two TDs.

Larry Warford

The former Madison Central standout had a stellar rookie campaign in 2013 that saw him start all 16 games for the Detroit Lions at right guard. He didn’t give up a sack, and Pro Football Focus named him its rookie of the year.

But injuries have limited Warford to 13 games each of the last two seasons.

The Lions’ offensive line has struggled as a whole, as the team averaged a league-low 83.4 rushing yards per game last season. Warford thinks they can turn it around.

“We feel that we are clicking a lot faster,” he told the Detroit Free Press. “We are still working out kinks. It’s going to be an ongoing process. I feel really good about this offensive line.”

Josh Forrest

The sixth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams is the only player from last year’s UK squad to make an NFL roster.

The former Paducah Tilghman standout was expected to primarily contribute on special teams, but the team’s recent decision to part with veteran linebacker Akeem Ayers could change that.

The Orange County Register reported that Forrest could start at outside linebacker alongside inside linebacker Alex Ogletree. If the Rams only go with one starting linebacker, Forrest could still get more snaps than originally anticipated.

ESPN.com projection: 39 tackles, one sack.

Corey Peters

After missing all of last season with an Achilles injury, Peters is ready to make his Arizona Cardinals debut.

“I’m super excited,” Peters, a defensive tackle, told ArizonaSports.com. “It’s been over a year since I really had an opportunity to kind of play.”

The former Louisville Central standout spent his first five years in the league with the Atlanta Falcons. He had 146 tackles and 11 sacks during that span.

ESPN.com projection: 25 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks.

Winston Guy Jr.

The former Lexington Catholic star made six tackles in his first season for the Indianapolis Colts in 2015. He’s listed as the second-team strong safety on their depth chart.

ESPN.com projection: Four tackles.

Bud Dupree

The second-year outside linebacker was poised for a breakout year for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But his season is in doubt after he underwent surgery for a core muscle injury on Thursday.

The Steelers put Dupree on injured reserve after their roster was cut to 53 players, so he’s eligible to return to action — if healthy — after missing the first eight weeks of the season.

Dupree had 26 tackles, including four sacks, as a rookie.

Sidelined

Three former Cats’ seasons were over before they started. San Diego Chargers wide receiver Stevie Johnson, Seattle Seahawks tight end Ronnie Shields and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Chris Matthews were placed on the “reserve/injured” list before their teams trimmed their rosters to 53. Thus, they’re ineligible to return to their teams’ active rosters this season.

This story was originally published September 9, 2016 at 6:24 PM with the headline "UK football opens season with 14 former players on NFL rosters."