Making the Case: Which Freshman Will Make the Biggest Impact for Kentucky in 2022

Kentucky will look to build on its ten-win season from a year ago with a schedule that provides plenty of opportunities. The Wildcats were selected by the media to finish second in the SEC East, but there is optimism around the opportunity to compete for a spot in Atlanta coming out of Lexington. In this installment of "Making the Case," the Wildcats Today staff shares their opinion on which freshman will make the biggest impact for Kentucky in 2022.

Hunter

There’s been nothing but positivity spread about Lexington native Dane Key since his arrival at Kentucky. Quarterback Will Levis called the Frederick Douglass High School product a starter early on into fall camp, and Mark Stoops noted his improved progress into the month of August. Fellow wide receiver Tayvion Robinson said that Key has been “nothing short of what people thought of him," and that he “doesn’t look like a freshman on the field.” Replacing Wan’Dale Robinson is seemingly impossible. The connection that he and Levis carried all the way through the Citrus Bowl was nothing short of extraordinary, and there is no one wide receiver that is expected to take over that kind of workload immediately. Alongside this year’s Robinson and speedsters Jordan Anthony and Dekel Crowdus Jr, there is beaucoup potential in the receiver room. If Key performs like the rest of the team says he’s capable of, he can become a big time option for Levis and open numerous doors for the offense this season.

Matt

Kentucky has to find reliable weapons for Will Levis to work with as they look to make the offense more explosive than a year ago. Not to indicate that he will end up playing a bulk of snaps or start this fall, but Barion Brown's explosiveness cannot be denied. He is electric with the football in his hands and has some incredible twitch and short-area quickness that should allow him to get opportunities in this offense. I think Brown's role will grow week over week and he will be a homerun threat for the Cats' in 2022. I think Hunter's case for Dane Key is also solid, and I look for both of these playmakers to get their opportunity at some point this year. However, I like Brown's explosiveness and ability to allow him to make the biggest impact in 2022. As his route tree improves, and he understands the offense more, Brown has as high of a ceiling as any freshman in the country.

featured image via Dane Key Instagram