Don’t forget these five underrated Wildcats who could be key for Kentucky football in 2022

This is a list for the unsung hero.

During Kentucky football’s preseason camp, we’ve covered freshmen who could make an immediate impact and returning players in line for breakout seasons. We know Will Levis leads a group of star players in contention for All-SEC honors.

But there are other Wildcats who do not easily fall into those categories and remain important to Kentucky’s 2022 prospects.

Here are five underrated contributors who have reinforced their importance to Mark Stoops’ squad during preseason practice.

TE Brenden Bates

Izayah Cummings and Keaton Upshaw are viewed as the best receivers in Kentucky’s loaded tight end room. Freshman Josh Kattus has been showered with praise this month. The hype continues to grow for Jordan Dingle as the group’s do-everything option. But with 34 career appearances and six starts, Bates, a senior from Cincinnati, is actually the group’s most experienced option and might have the inside track to the starting job.

Bates is the best blocking tight end on the roster, but he also caught 11 passes for 70 yards and one touchdown last season.

“They’ve got me in a lot of good stuff,” Bates said. “They’ve got me split out a couple times. I’m going to bring the thump and receiving ability to the room.”

WR DeMarcus Harris

Kentucky clearly needs an influx of big-play threats in the passing game with Wan’Dale Robinson, Josh Ali and Isaiah Epps all gone. Virginia Tech transfer Tayvion Robinson and freshmen Dane Key and Barion Brown have generated the most hype during camp because of their speed and recruiting hype, but Harris should retain a role after recording 10 of his 12 catches in the final seven games last year.

“He’s played, he’s productive,” offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello said. “He’s physical, he’s awesome in the run game, he does all the little things. He’s the older guy in the room, so he’s been a leader. He’s competing against some good players, but yet he’s also being a good leader and showing stability.

“... He’s made some key plays on third down. He did in the scrimmage, I know. I think he’ll do that all year, and we’ll rely on him for that.”

RB Kavosiey Smoke

When Smoke was fifth in the running back pecking order during a spring practice open to the media, it was easy to imagine he was headed toward a summer transfer. Instead, Smoke stayed in Lexington and in the last week has reemerged as a running back drawing praise from teammates and coaches. It seems like a long time since it was a popular debate among fans whether Smoke or Rodriguez should be Kentucky’s featured running back, but the player with one of the best names in college football remains the running back rotation’s best home-run threat.

With Rodriguez expected to be suspended for at least part of the first month of the season, Smoke has another chance to prove worthy of a featured role.

“I think Kavosiey and a couple of those other dudes — LaVell (Wright), JuTahn (McClain) — they bring another level of speed,” Levis said. “I think they can get that edge and really run by people a little easier than CRod can. But, if anything, they just bring depth and confidence to the offense.”

S Tyrell Ajian

The return of three linebackers for the extra season of eligibility awarded all players in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn plenty of attention for Kentucky, but the secondary should benefit by the rule as well thanks to Ajian’s return. The super senior safety has already played in 49 games with 23 starts in his career. In that time, he has totaled 121 tackles, nine pass breakups and four interceptions.

Ajian’s steadying presence in the secondary could be even more valuable with new starters at three of the five defensive back positions and a host of young backups who will be playing significant snaps for the first time.

“People would argue that 2018 defense may or may not be one of the top one or two defenses in Kentucky history,” defensive coordinator Brad White said. “Well, we’ve got three guys who played significant snaps on that defense in Ty Ajian, DeAndre Square, Jordan Wright. … You’re walking in with leaders I was counting on heavy last year and they were great leaders. They get another go-round.”

K Matt Ruffolo

Being a kicker is a thankless job in college football. The mistakes always stand out more than the successes. Ruffolo, a former walk-on, knows that well thanks to a missed extra point in Kentucky’s 42-41 2020 overtime loss to Ole Miss affecting the early perception of his work, but he has quietly turned into a steadying presence for the Wildcats’ special teams.

Like Ajian, Ruffolo will use his extra year of eligibility to return to Kentucky this season. Despite the presence of two other kickers on the roster who were recruited as scholarship players out of high school, Ruffolo has retained his starting spot.

In his UK career, Ruffolo is 26-for-32 on field goals and 94-for-99 on extra points. He hit 10 of 12 field goals last season and broke a school record with 54 extra points.

This story was originally published August 24, 2022 at 6:47 PM.

Jon Hale

Lexington Herald-Leader

(859) 414-6776

Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He joined the Herald-Leader in 2022 but has covered UK athletics for more than 10 years. Hale was named the 2021 Kentucky Sportswriter of the Year. Support my work with a digital subscription