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Kentucky Football: Who are the top 5 best running backs in school history?

By Corey Nicholson

Jan 1, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; The Kentucky Wildcats celebrate after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2019 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; The Kentucky Wildcats celebrate after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2019 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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George Adams of the New York Giants(Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images) /

A bust in the NFL, but definitely a top-five in Kentucky history.

Here we have George Adams cracking the list at number five, the Lexington native was able to live out his dream of suiting up for his hometown Kentucky Wildcats. He did such a bang-up job in Lexington that he earned himself the 19th overall selection in the 1985 NFL draft making the New York football Giants his home from 1985-1989, then with the New England Patriots from 1990-1991.

Many Kentucky players have gone on to pro careers, 196 have been drafted into the NFL to be exact. Luckily this list isn’t one that holds pro success as the standard. What is success anywho?

Making it to NFL to me is a success, how many of us haven’t had that dream? To be fair it also if it weren’t for a hip injury in his second season that plagued him the rest of his career this may be a different story.

When speaking of the most talented backs in Kentucky history, you can’t help but mention Adams. Adams ranks sixth all-time in rushing yards with 2,648, tied for fourth with 25 career rushing touchdowns, and tied for fourth in single-season touchdowns with 13. Adams was also a first-team All-SEC after a huge 1984 campaign. Adams ran Kentucky to back-to-back bowl appearances in 1983-1984.

Adams rightfully so was forever enshrined in the UK Athletics Hall of Fame in the class of 2005. Adams even has a son Jamal who played at LSU and went on to be a first-round draft pick himself in the 2017 NFL draft.

As a steadfast running back for the Wildcats Adams led the team in rushing and all-purpose yardage as a sophomore, junior, and senior. His great 1984 campaign was topped by being named first-team All-SEC, UK’s Most Valuable Senior, and UK’s Most Outstanding Offensive Back. He also helped lead the Wildcats to Hall of Fame Bowl appearances in 1983 and 1984 and was chosen as Kentucky’s MVP of the 1983 bowl.

In the end, he finished his career with 2,468 rushing yards on 638 attempts and played in the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.

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