Three Kentucky players make inaugural 2026 Senior Bowl Top 300 List

The re-branded Senior Bowl could feature a few Wildcats.

It was announced on Wednesday morning that three Kentucky football players have been named to the inaugural 2026 Senior Bowl Top 300 List. Offensive lineman Josh Braun, wide receiver Ja’Mori Maclin, and linebacker Kam Olds all made the cut on the Wildcats’ behalf. Braun was also tabbed to the Coaches All-SEC Third Team this week. Only players eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft were included.

Originally sponsored by Reese’s, the Senior Bowl has entered into a new partnership with Panini, the world’s largest licensed sports and entertainment collectibles company. This event, which has run for the last 75 years, is widely known as the top college football all-star game and the first step in the NFL Draft process. This year’s game is scheduled for Jan. 31, 2026. The 2025 edition brought in over 900 NFL personnel from all 32 franchises.

Of note, players named to the watch list are not locked in for the actual Senior Bowl game. Names can be added and removed based on their performance during the season.

Braun transferred to UK after two seasons at Arkansas (making the All-SEC Second Team in 2023) and three at Florida. With 32 career starts under his belt, the 6-foot-6 offensive lineman will play a pivotal role on what is expected to be an improved offensive line at Kentucky. He started all 12 games last season for the Razorbacks, which finished third in the SEC in rushing yards per game at 184.5.

Maclin spent last season at Kentucky, totaling 13 catches for 313 yards and four touchdowns while also serving as the team’s punt returner. Prior to joining the Wildcats, he played two seasons at Missouri and two more at North Texas. Throughout his college career, Maclin has 87 receptions, 1,702 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns. He expects to play a significant role in Kentucky’s passing game this season.

As for Olds, he’s new to Kentucky after starting his college career at Buffalo for two seasons before playing at Kent State last year. The outside linebacker has 51 career tackles, seven tackles for loss, and six sacks to his name. He appeared in 12 games for Kent State, two as a starter, recording the bulk of his career stats in what was a breakout season.

Kentucky is projected to finish 15th in the SEC this season, ranking ahead of only Mississippi State in the preseason poll. The Wildcats will open the schedule on Saturday, August 30, at 12:45 p.m. ET (SEC Network) against a tough Toledo team that is receiving votes in the preseason AP Poll. Kentucky is considered a 7.5-point favorite, per BetMGM.

Want more Kentucky football recruiting intel? Join KSR Plus for access to bonus content and KSBoard, KSR’s message board, to chat with fellow Cats fans and get exclusive scoop.