Two Kentucky football players named to Outland Trophy Watch List
By Alec Lasley
![Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) is sacked by Kentucky Wildcats defensive lineman Deone Walker (0) during the third quarter of an NCAA football matchup in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Clemson Tigers edged the Kentucky Wildcats 38-35. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_6000,h_3375,x_0,y_120/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images%2FImagnImages%2Fmmsport%2F198%2F01j4386jhz9d3f5wcq4p.jpg "Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) is sacked by Kentucky Wildcats defensive lineman Deone Walker (0) during the third quarter of an NCAA football matchup in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Clemson Tigers edged the Kentucky Wildcats 38-35. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
A pair of Kentucky football players earned national honors on Tuesday as they were named to the Outland Trophy Watch List.
The Outland Trophy is given to college football's best interior player. And for Kentucky, the duo of Wildcats named to the watch list were Deone Walker and Eli Cox.
Walker continues to be a name from Kentucky earning national preseason honors. He is coming off of a 2023 season when he was a Third-Team All-American and enters this season as a preseason Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC selection.
Walker has been a terrific player for Kentucky in his few seasons in Lexington, something that's expected to be no different in 2024. The 6-foot-6, 345-pounder led Kentucky in tackles for loss (12.5), sacks (7.5) and QB hurries (8 last year). While some may depend on Kentucky's overall record, he's clearly in the conversation for SEC Defensive Player of the Year this season.
For Eli Cox, he enters his sixth season for the Wildcats and is coming off of a Second-Team All-SEC selection in 2023, in addition to being a co-captain alongside Walker. He has been named SEC Co-Offensive Line Player of the Week multiple times throughout his career.
Cox has played numerous positions along the offensive line during his time at Kentucky. In 2023, he played the majority of the season at center.
In 2022, Cox was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List as well and was named to the Comeback Player of the Year Watch List as well. This was following a 2021 season in which he was among the Midseason All-Americans before an injury kept him out the second half of the season.
Kentucky is looking to improve on a back-to-back seasons finishing 7-6.
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