Rayner could bode well from another season in Lexington
The Kentucky Wildcats are off to a 2-2 start this season. While it’s only Week 5 this coming weekend, the Cats are looking onward toward the 2025 season with one key defender, Daveren Rayner.
Rayner was a healthy scratch against the Ohio Bobcats, a game the Cats won with ease. However, the star linebacker would’ve typically been listed on the depth chart and seen a good chunk of snaps.
He didn’t Saturday, which started to draw out the questions of what was going on.
On Monday, head coach Mark Stoops revealed that the team is eyeing a redshirt for Rayner so he could potentially return for a final season in 2025 as a more integral part of this defense.
“We’re going to see. There’s a possibility we may look to redshirt him and get him back (next year), just to let him really get his strength and body weight up to what he’s capable of. We’ll see,” said Stoops.
Rayner has played four years so far, spending 2020-22 with Northern Illinois. He then brought his talents to Kentucky for the 2023 season, where he saw time in 13 games and ended with 30 tackles and two pass deflections.
The Cats have one of the best defenses in the conference and could still maintain that strength without Rayner. Bringing that type of leadership back next season could be a huge boost with Jamon Dumas-Johnson and D’Eryk Jackson having no remaining eligibility after this season.
The 6-foot-3, 212-pound Rayner does lack some size for the position, but he ultimately could become an every-down linebacker next season if he returns to Kentucky.