From prospects to pros: 2022 NFL Draft résumé for Kentucky wide receiver Josh Ali
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This year’s NFL Draft is April 28-30. A number of former University of Kentucky stars are eligible, and many are expected to be selected this year. We’re taking a look at every UK player who hopes to have their name called.
Josh Ali
Height: 6-foot-0.
Weight: 193 pounds.
Hometown: Hollywood, Fla. (Chaminade-Madonna High School).
Projected NFL position: Wide receiver.
What you’ll remember about him at UK: The most memorable plays of Ali’s career occurred on the same drive. In the 2019 Belk Bowl, Ali dove for a fourth-down catch off the hands of Lynn Bowden, who had completed just four passes before that one. Nine plays later, Ali got loose and caught a tying touchdown from Bowden with 14 seconds left in what would end as a 37-30 UK victory. Ali had a career-best performance against New Mexico State last season, finishing with 164 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions.
Key stats: 14.7 yards per catch in 2021 (601 yards, three touchdowns); 14.8 yards per punt return in 2021 (133 yards and a touchdown on nine returns); 1,447 receiving yards and eight TDs in five college seasons. Finished with 131 career receptions, tying Rafael Little for 10th all time in school history.
Career development: A three-star recruit, Ali was recruited to UK by then-offensive coordinator Eddie Gran. He burned his redshirt as a true freshman and was a starter by 2019, his junior year. He opted to return for a fifth year of eligibility under the COVID-19 waiver and had career-best statistics in Liam Coen’s offense despite missing three games due to injury. Ali ended the 2021 season as an All-SEC selection by Pro Football Focus.
Latest draft projections: Undrafted.
His future: Ali, already a long shot to get drafted into the NFL, was in a car accident in December that forced him to undergo knee surgery. He was unable to participate in performance drills at UK’s Pro Day but was recently cleared to run. There are 262 picks to be made in this year’s draft and of 40 receivers named among Pro Draft Network’s top 300 available prospects, Ali isn’t one of them. His best bet at playing professional football will be in the CFL (its draft is May 3), the fledgling USFL (whose first season kicked off recently) or the XFL (which has plans to return in 2023). Getting into an NFL camp seems like a stretch given his production in college and his untimely injury.
Quote: “I’m dependable. I have great routes, great hands. I have a setback on speed right now but when I get there, I’m working as much as I can on that. I can play every (receiver) position, inside, outside, I can motion. My film speaks for that. I can run reverses. I’m just an all-around receiver, you know?” — Josh Ali to local reporters ahead of UK’s Pro Day.
This story was originally published April 21, 2022 at 8:09 AM.
