By Keith Taylor

Kentucky Today

Kentucky will be without its top running back in the postseason.

Ray Davis declared for the NFL Draft on Monday after one season with the Wildcats. Davis rushed for 1,066 yards and finished his lone season with a school-record 20 touchdowns, smashing the single-season mark set by Benny Snell in 2017. Davis had a Covid year option for a sixth season, but opted to turn pro and skip thh team’s bowl opportunity.

“First and foremost, I want to thank God for the position he has put me in today,” he said in a social media post. “To Big Blue Nation, thank you for showing me the best parts of college football. To the coaches and staff at Kentucky, thank you for allowing me to fine tune my skills and grow as a young man. To my teammates you will forever be my family.

“Thank you to Vanderbilt and Temple for taking a chance on me and molding me into the player and man I am today. This journey has led me to many blessings and greater things ahead.”

During his only season with the Wildcats, Davis also became the first player in NCAA history to rush for more than 1,000 yards at three different schools. He also achieved that mark at Temple and Vanderbilt. He’s the first in Southeastern Conference history to rush for more than 1,000 yards at two programs. He scored 120 points, also a school record.

In a 38-31 win over No. 10 Louisville Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams, Davis rushed for 76 yards and clinched the win for the Wildcats with a 37-yard touchdown run with 1:31 remaining in the game. He also caught four passes for 51 yards and two TDs in his final game at Kentucky.