Over the last decade, the Kentucky Wildcats haven't necessarily seen high levels of success at a program level, but they've certainly been able to churn out some very talented NFL players.
The most notable of those players is Josh Hines-Allen, who has spent his entire career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that finally broke out and became a contender last season. They went from 4-13 in 2024 to 13-4 in 2025, so expectations are undoubtedly high for the Jags, and the Hines-Allen-led defense will be a major reason for their success.
Having been drafted seventh overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, Hines-Allen quickly made his presence felt in the NFL, ending his rookie season with 10.5 sacks. After a disappointing sophomore campaign, he returned
to dominance and was a monster in 2023, concluding that season with 17.5 sacks. He had at least seven sacks in six of his seven professional seasons.
That said, coming into the 2026 season, Pro Football Focus has named him the fifth-best EDGE rusher.
"While his ceiling is a little bit below the first four names on this list, Hines-Allen is still a force to be reckoned with off the edge. He has produced a PFF grade above 80.0 in four straight seasons, and he’s compiled 75 or more pressures in three of the past four. Hines-Allen is solid against the run too, earning PFF run-defense grades above 70.0 in each of the past four years," Gordon McGuiness wrote.
1. Myles Garrett, LAR
— PFF (@PFF) August 11, 2026
32. Montez Sweat, CHI
Ranking the Top 32 EDGEs Ahead of the 2026 Season Season⬇️https://t.co/4reGbDCR0B
The recently traded Mayles Garrett came in No. 1, with Will Anderson Jr., Micah Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson among the next three prior to Hines-Allen. With the NFL preseason having already kicked off, fans will get to see these talents on the field in the coming weeks.
Expect big things from Hines-Allen and the Jaguars this season.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Former Kentucky Wildcats star dubbed a top-five NFL EDGE
