Kentucky Wildcats Football 2012 Position Preview: Linebackers

 

One of the Cats’ most talented position on the team may also be their most inexperienced. After the Cats lost Ronnie Sneed, Winston Guy and Danny Trevathan to graduation last season, they also lost their combined 90 starts and the 819 tackles. Now is the time for several first-year starters. SinceUKhas seen Wesley Woodyard, Micah Johnson, Braxton Kelly, Sam Maxwell, Johnny Williams, and Danny Trevethan all go from playing ball at UK to the NFL over the past 5 seasons, there’s no reason to believe the Cats can’t reload their linebacker corps.

 

Here’s the Returning players and Projected Starters:

STRONGSIDE LINEBACKER
2 Alvin Dupree (6-4, 249, So.)
41 TraVaughn Paschal (6-4, 245, So.)

MIDDLE LINEBACKER
40 Avery Williamson (6-1, 243, Jr.)
10 Tyler Brause (6-4, 239, So.)
47 Jabari Johnson (6-1, 262, RFr.)

WEAKSIDE LINEBACKER
54 Malcolm McDuffen (6-3, 220, So.)
49 Demarius Rancifer (6-2, 221, RFr.)
Newcomers: Khalid Henderson (FR), Pancho Thomas (FR), Zane Williams (FR)

2012 Outlook: Replace the combined 90 starts and the 819 tackles that were lost with an infuse of young but talented linebackers.