Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-13vs Youngstown State | 3 | 74 | 24.7 | 1 | 37 | Season-high 74 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 17-45vs Alabama | 5 | 45 | 9.0 | 0 | 24 | |
| Total | 8 | 119 | 16.9 | 1 | 37 |
#19
Kenny Darby
Freshman wide receiver for Kentucky. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 180 lb · Bossier City, LA
Returning to Kentucky for 2026
The numbers
119
receiving yards · 2026
8 catches · 1 TD · 14.9 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 rec, 74 yds, 1 TD, vs Youngstown State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 wide receiver for Kentucky. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Kentucky in 2026.
Buzz vs Tape
Country hotter than the fans
The wider college football conversation reads him warmer than his own fans do — a gap of 16 points in belief.
29own fans
45national conversation
Kenny Darby
The receipt: 74 rec yds, 9 rush yds against Youngstown State — Week 1, 2026.
119 REC YDS · 8 REC · 1 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2026
- Signed with Kentucky4-star out of Airline
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Kentucky
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Kentucky1-1HC: Will Stein · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
Concern: receptions (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 4.0 REC/g, 59.5 YDS/g, 16.9 YPR, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Will Stein
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 45–13
9 rush yds (1 car)
Dominant 32-point win at home against Youngstown State.
With K. Minchey — 301 yds · 4 TD · 0 INT · 17 rush yds (1 car) · T. O'Hara — 42 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 45 LONG
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Alabama · 2&20 · Q2 · EPA +3.55(00:29) Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short middle to #19 K.Darby caught at ALA36, for 24 yards to the ALA29 (#3 K.Sabb), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Youngstown State · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +3.05(12:56) Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete deep middle to #19 K.Darby caught at YSU13, for 37 yards to the YSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 12:48, 1ST DOWN #88 A.Zouagui kick attempt good (H: #93 W.Berry, LS: #47 S.Radnoti)
- Week 1 · Youngstown State · 2&6 · Q1 · EPA +2.49(13:12) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete deep middle to #19 K.Darby caught at YSU36, for 33 yards to the YSU26 (#7 R.Collins III), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Alabama · 3&5 · Q1 · EPA +1.83(04:07) Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short middle to #19 K.Darby caught at UK42, for 5 yards to the UK42 (#19 C.McDonald III), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Youngstown State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.82(09:21) #19 K.Darby rush right for 9 yards gain to the YSU30 (#18 D.Tunis)
- Week 2 · Alabama · 3&10 · Q4 · EPA +0.15(07:47) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short middle to #19 K.Darby caught at UK42, for 6 yards to the UK43 (#4 L.Metz)
- Week 2 · Alabama · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +0.08(04:05) Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short right to #19 K.Darby caught at UK17, for 5 yards to the UK24 (#35 A.Sanders Jr.)
- Week 1 · Youngstown State · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.04(12:31) Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short left to #19 K.Darby caught at YSU28, for 4 yards to the YSU22 (#1 C.Smith), out of bounds
- Week 2 · Alabama · 2&15 · Q4 · EPA +0.03(08:10) Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short middle to #19 K.Darby caught at UK36, for 5 yards to the UK37 (#19 C.McDonald III; #4 L.Metz)
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Kentucky
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Kentucky
Returning around him
- 19% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- 4 Kentucky players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +4 net (31 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kentucky · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #23 · 2026 recruiting class #60
The receiver room · Kentucky
- #17Hardley Gilmore IV313 receiving yards · 2025
- #18Xavier Daisy177 receiving yards · 2025
- #7DJ Miller175 receiving yards · 2025
- #4Nic Anderson106 receiving yards · 2025
- #19Kenny Darby2 games · 2026
11 more on the roster · Kentucky team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology