| 56 Braxton Kelley |
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- Freshman All-America (second team) by Rivals.com (2005)
- Freshman All-America (third team) by The Sporting News (2005)
- Freshman All-America (honorable mention) by Scout.com (2005)
- SEC All-Freshman Team by SEC coaches, The Sporting News (2005)
- UK Most Outstanding First-Year Player by UK coaches (2005)
Made the adjustment from middle linebacker to weakside linebacker in the spring ... Was playing very well at the new position by the end of spring ball ... Has been the team's starting middle linebacker since his freshman season ... Has appeared in 33 games, starting 29 ... Totals 189 tackles in his career ... Has five double-digit tackling efforts as a Wildcat, including a personal-best 12 stops vs. Mississippi State in 2006.
2007 (Junior): Played in all 13 games, starting 12 ... Made one of the biggest defensive plays in Kentucky football history ... In triple overtime, he stuffed LSU on a fourth-and-two play, securing the UK upset victory over the nation's top team ... Led the team with 10 tackles, including one for a loss, against Florida ... Had a season-high 11-tackle performance against Kent State ... Wrapped up four tackles, and an interception, against Florida Atlantic.
2006 (Sophomore): Started 10 games at middle linebacker ... Second on the team in tackles with 82 stops, including a career-high 12 in the win over Mississippi State ... Notched team-high 10 tackles in win at Georgia ... Averaged 9.8 tackles per game during Kentucky's four-game win streak.
2005 (Freshman): Received Freshman All-America honors from three different organizations (see above) ... Also named to a pair of SEC All-Freshman teams ... UK's Outstanding First-Year Player as chosen by the Wildcat coaches ... Started the first seven games before enduring a season-ending knee injury ... Became the first UK freshman to start a season opener at linebacker, based on starting lineups available since 1993 ... Made 44 tackles on the season, including at least three in every game he played ... Had a season-best 11 stops against Florida, including a quarterback sack ... Awarded game-captain role vs. South Carolina.
High School: First-team all-state as a junior and senior by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Georgia sportswriters, and the Georgia coaches' association ... Four-year letterman and three-year starter at LaGrange HS, playing mostly at defensive end with occasional time at linebacker ... Made 130 tackles during his senior season, featuring 16 tackles for loss and nine quarterback sacks ... Was part of the LaGrange juggernaut that won Class AAA state championships during his freshman, junior, and senior seasons, compiled a four-year record of 55-2, and finished his career with a winning streak of 29 games ... Career stats feature 373 tackles, 26 QB sacks, and 47 tackles for loss ... Coached by Steve Pardue ... "Braxton plays every play like it is his last play," Pardue said. "He plays hard every single snap. He's one of the best I've ever coached. I think Kentucky got a steal in Braxton Kelley." ... Teammate of fellow UK signee DeMoreo Ford ... Rejoined former LaGrange teammate Wesley Woodyard at UK ... Two-year letterman in basketball ... A three-year letterman in track and field as a discus thrower ... Placed third in the region in that event as a junior ... Honor-roll student ... Chose Kentucky over Virginia Tech and South Carolina.
Personal: Born in LaGrange, Ga. ... Son of William Kelley and Veronica Kelley ... Major is kinesiology.
Community Cats: Served as a mentor for a student at Johnson Elementary School (2006) ... Participated in events with the Boy Scouts and UK Children's Hospital (2008).
Kelley Career Statistics
Year Position G-GS Tackles TFL-Yds. Sacks-Yds. FR FC PBU
2005 Linebacker 7-7 44 2-2 1-1 0 1 1
2006 Linebacker 13-10 82 4.5-9 1-3 0 1 2
2007 Linebacker 13-12 63 5-14 0.5-5 0 0 1
Totals 33-29 189 11.5-25 2.5-9 0 2 4
Kelley Game-by-Game Statistics
2005
Opponent Tackles TFL-Yds. Sacks-Yds.
Louisville 6 0 0
Idaho State 3 0 0
at Indiana 5 0 0
Florida 11 1-1 1-1
at South Carolina 7 0 0
at Ole Miss 7 1-1 0
Mississippi State 5 0 0
Auburn INJ
at Vanderbilt INJ
at Georgia INJ
Tennessee INJ
Totals 44 2-2 1-1
2006
Opponent Tackles TFL-Yds. Sacks-Yds.
at Louisville 2 1-3 1-3
Texas State 1 0 0
Ole Miss 8 0 0
at Florida 7 0 0
Central Michigan 7 0 0
South Carolina 6 0 0
at LSU 6 1-1 0
at Mississippi State 12 2.5-5 0
Georgia 10 0 0
Vanderbilt 8 0 0
UL-Monroe 9 0 0
at Tennessee 4 0 0
vs. Clemson 2 0 0
Totals 82 4.5-9 1-3
2007
Opponent Tackles TFL-Yds. Sacks-Yds.
Eastern Kentucky 0 0 0
Kent State 11 0 0
Louisville 5 0.5-4 0
at Arkansas 3 0 0
Florida Atlantic 4 1-1 0
at South Carolina 4 1.5-5 0.5-5
LSU 4 0 0
Florida 10 1-1 0
Mississippi State 6 1-3 0
at Vanderbilt 4 0 0
at Georgia 3 0 0
Tennessee 3 0 0
vs. Florida State 6 0 0
Totals 63 5-14 0.5-5
