Former Kentucky football players ready to play in NFL Wildcard weekend

Former Kentucky football players ready for NFL Wildcard weekend to kickoff. rnIt's safe to say we love out Big Blue athletics year-round and from far and near. The Kentucky football season may be over but in the NFL the Wildcard Weekend is ready to kick off with some former Wildcats donning the helmets and pads.rnrnMaking an NFL roster is a feat unto its self even if you starred at Kroger Field or most any other college campus. Kentucky currently has 15 players on NFL rosters with eight on teams that are in the playoffs that kickoff Saturday.rnrnThose active include Mike Edwards (Tampa Bay), Danny Trevathan (Chicago), Za'Darius Smith (Green Bay), Benny Snell , and Avery Williamson both for the Steelers. Calvin Taylor Jr. (Pittsburgh) and Austin MacGinnins (LA Rams) are on the practice squads which isn't a bad thing due to Covid and could quickly be called up. Bud DuPree is out for the year with a torn ACL for the Steelers and was on course for his best season ever.rnrnEach has aspirations of playing in Super Bowl LV on February 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. Some have a legit shot we can sit back and watch but they must navigate the course that begins this weekend.rnrnLet's take a look at the former Wildcats their careers and chances in this postseason.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Za'Darius%20Smith%20-%20Green%20Bay%20Packers" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_101610" align="alignnone" width="1600"] Za'Darius Smith. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Green Bay (1) BYE rnOk so to be fair it's Wildcard Weekend for the rest but the player with probably the best shot of making it through will be watching this weekend in Za'Darius Smith . The Packers with the top seed in the NFC have the bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.rnrn Smith had a stellar career at UK and has transitioned that to the NFL. He was signed by the Lions in the fourth round and subsequently traded to Baltimore in 2015. In 2019 the Packers signed him to a 4-year $66 million dollar deal that has paid dividends for Cheesehead fans.rnrnIn 2013-14 he racked up 119 tackles, 11 sacks, and three fumble recoveries for the Wildcats.rnrn Smith noted what he loved about being at Kentucky. rn The coolest thing about being at UK is: the fans and the group of guys I'm around every day rnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vk_lh9mssErnrnThis year the 6-foot-4 272-pound defensive end has 35 solo tackles, 17 assists, and 23 quarterback hits. Against Atlanta, in week four's 30-16 win he recorded eight tackles (4 for losses) with five quarterback hits.rnrnThe Packers 9/2 are the second favorite behind Kansas City 2/1 to win the Super Bowl according to Vegas Insider and that would be an intriguing matchup with Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes squaring off on the offensive side. Don't think Smith wouldn't love to be that Chiefs' backfield all night long.rnrnWhile I wouldn't cash much of a ticket I'd take the Pack to be in Tampa.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Big%20Blue%20Nation%20to%20Steeler%20Nation" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_101611" align="alignnone" width="1600"] Benny Snell Jr. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Cleveland (6) at Pittsburgh (3) rnOk, I'll admit I biased here as the Steelers are my team, and I love getting to see all my Wildcats in Black and Gold uniforms on Sundays.rnrnThe Steelers are Lexington north with four players on the squad and expect the two that are active Snell and Williamson to get quality minutes. DuPree would have been in there and was having a stellar season alongside TJ Watt.rnrnWhen Pittsburgh drafted Snell he was the prototype Steeler who runs hard and tough and never complains buying into that Steeler mentality. You can't play for the Rooney family if you don't believe in family and team. No ego's allowed.rnrn At Kentucky all Snell did was rush for over 1,000 yards all three of his season as a freshman, sophomore, and junior. He finished with 3,873 rushing yards, 216 receiving for 4,089 total yards, and 48 touchdowns. No. 1 in the SEC in touchdowns in 2017 and No. 1 in attempts in 2018. His touchdowns rank seventh all-time in the SEC.rnrnSteeler fans are not always enamored with Snell but forget he is only going to get you those hard nosed couple of yards when he is in there. He gets time with regular injuries to James Connor. In two seasons he's carried it 219 times for 794 yards and six touchdowns. Against the Browns this year, just nine carries for 27 yards.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Hmdc99I4ErnrnWilliamson also played in every game for four years from 2010-13 at UK at linebacker and tallied 296 tackles, 10 for losses recovered a pair of fumbles and had two interceptions. His 70 solo tackles in 2012 were No. 1 in the SEC.rnrnDrafted in the fifth round by the Titans he played there for four years and then went to the Jets. He was traded to the Steelers earlier this year just before DuPree was lost for the season and was able to step in against the Bengals in week 10. He saw very little time in Nashville so he has been a nice addition to fill the void for the Steelers.rnrnThe Browns lost to the Steelers by 31 points in Week 6 earlier this season and won against Pittsburgh's backups this past weekend by just two points despite being 10-point favorites. Final week games are just hard to judge by as Cleveland had to play to get in the playoffs but the Steelers had nothing to gain or lose.rnrnThe Steelers are looking to avenge that loss as well as the next round against Buffalo should the Bills also win this weekend.rnrn TV: Sun. Jan. 10, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC) rnrn Spread - Steelers -8 rnrn I'll take Pittsburgh 27-20 rnrn[nextslide teaser="Mike%20Edwards%20-%20Tampa%20Bay%20Buccaneers%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_101612" align="alignnone" width="1600"] Former Kentucky players Mike Edwards tackles Benny Snell. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Tampa Bay (5) vs Washington (4) rnOne of the more odd matchups of the Wildcard Weekend will feature of course Tampa's Tom Brady on offense but the Bucs strong safety Mike Edwards hopes to slow down the two-headed quarterback in Alex Smith and Taylor Heinicke of Washington.rnrnEdwards was another part of Stoops defense at Kentucky from 2015-18 playing all four years and making 317 tackles and coming up with 10 interceptions. He was a two-time captain as well.rnrn When he was drafted he told the Tampa fans what they were getting. rn “It’s important because I feel like I’m a ball guy. I love the ball. I love to get to the ball and taking away the ball. That’s what I harp on. Getting turnovers. If it’s fumbles or interceptions, whatever it may be. I’m a play-maker so I can help the team out next year as far as taking the ball away. Getting fumbles. Getting interceptions. Whatever it may be but I feel like I’m a play-maker on the back end.'' rnDrafted in the third round with the 99th overall pick in 2019 he had a solid first year as a starter, but hasn't had as much playing time this year. He has two interceptions for 67 yards and recovered a fumble as the Bucs No. 2 safety behind Antonie Winfield Jr.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69rrU_u2YeUrnrnTampa would love to somehow make their way through the playoffs and be home to play in the Super Bowl, but that looks to be a rocky road. Brady has looked awful in prime-time games this year but then it is the playoffs and he rises to the occasion. They have the fifth-best odds at 10-1 to win it all.rnrn TV: Sat. Jan. 9, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC) rnrn Spread - Tampa -8 rnrn I'll take Tampa 28-2 rnrn[nextslide teaser="Danny%20Trevathan%20-%20Chicago%20Bears" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_101613" align="alignnone" width="1600"] Danny Trevathan. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Bears (7) at Saints (2) rnJust looking at this matchup it would seem to be a season-ending game for Trevathan. The Bears and Washington are the highest odds to win the Super Bowl at 80-1.&#xA0; rnrnThe pro-bowler was drafted by Denver in 2012 with the 188th pick in the sixth round and played four years for the Broncos recording 282 tackles. He traded colder climates and moved to Chicago and in five seasons has started all but one of the 62 games and has 440 tackles.rnrnHe led Denver in tackles two years, with the team advancing to the Super Bowl in both of those seasons. He also has a Super Bowl ring by winning one of those championship games.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY618CX5tZs&amp;list=PL5-5ZWcmuYmJMO0MTZ1zRbMFfgEVdZNYI&amp;index=127rnrn At Kentucky , he was No. 1 in tackles in the SEC in 2010 (144) and 2011 (143) and seventh and eighth nationally in each respective year. He played in 198 games for the Wildcats with 374 tackles, four interceptions, and 11 forced fumbles from 2008-11.rnrn He was a two-year All American and named National Linebacker of the Year by the College Football Performance Awards after a tremendous senior year where he had 143 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, five caused fumbles, and five pass breakups. He also led the SEC in tackles as a junior and senior, earning first-team All-SEC honors both years, and a first-team All-American as a junior with 144 stops.rnrnThe Saints have had horrible luck in the playoffs, as they are 0-3 against the spread in the postseason over the past two years. Another thing they do not have going for them is that the Bears are .500. Since 2000, teams to make the playoffs at .500 or worse are a perfect 7-0 against the spread in their first playoff game.rnrn TV: Sun. Jan. 10, 4:40 p.m. ET (CBS) rnrn Spread New Orleans -10 rnrn I don't think the Bears can quite pull it off but cover Saints win 27-20 rnrn[nextslide teaser="Austin%20MacGinnis%20-%20LA%20Rams" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_101614" align="alignnone" width="1600"] Austin MacGinnis. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Los Angeles Rams (6) vs. Seattle Seahawks (3) rnNo other Kentucky player seems to play less yet get talked about more than Austin MacGinnis. Arguably one of the best placekickers ever at Kentucky, yet NFL teams have refused to give him a shot despite some having dreadful kicking games.rnrnBesides being Kentucky's all-time leading scorer, MacGinnis also holds the UK career record for field goals (63). He is also the single-season record holder for points (104 in 2014), field goals (21 in 2014), and consecutive field goals (nine in 2014).rnrnOne highlight was his 51-yard winner against Mississipi State on Oct. 23, 2016. Although there were so many including a game-winning 47-yarder against Louisville with 14 seconds left.rnrnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WE0F0qgqxsrnrnMcGinnis finally found a home with the Rams this season and has bounced back and forth between the practice and the active roster. He was only active for week 14 against the Patriots but didn't kick.rnrnA consensus All-Southeastern Conference selection when he played at Kentucky from 2014-18 and broke the season record for field goals by a UK kicker.rnrnHe had tried out for the Bears in 2018 and 2019 but failed to make the team. He has played for Memphis Express in the American Alliance League and the Dallas Renegades in the XFL. He was signed by the Rams this season, waived, and then re-signed.rnrnHe really needs to find a home but this looks like a one-game and done for the Rams and then Liam Cohen can head to Lexington to take over as the new offensive coordinator.rnrn TV: Sat. Jan. 9, 4:40 p.m. ET (Fox) rnrn Spread Seahawks -3 rnrn I'll take the Seahawks 24-13 rnrn rnrn rnrn rnrn rnrn rnrn

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Kentucky football: former players set for NFL Wildcard weekend action

Former Kentucky football players ready for NFL Wildcard weekend to kickoff.

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