Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-13vs Youngstown State | 4 | 48 | 12.0 | 1 | 20 | |
| Wk 2 | L 17-45vs Alabama | 8 | 49 | 6.1 | 0 | 18 | Season-high 49 yds |
| Total | 12 | 97 | 9.1 | 1 | 20 |
#81
Willie Rodriguez
310 team receiving yards leader isn't a headline at Kentucky anymore — it's just what Willie Rodriguez reliably is.
6′4″ · 249 lb · Taylor Mill, KY
CFB Index 46 · #78 of 156 TEsMedium-low confidenceReturning to Kentucky for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
How he plays
Shows up in the passing game from any alignment.
Rec TDs: 50th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
97
receiving yards · 2026
12 catches · 1 TD · 8.1 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 rec, 48 yds, 1 TD, vs Youngstown State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 tight end for Kentucky. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kentucky in 2024.
Willie Rodriguez
Filling the Shoesas of 2026-09-15
Willie Rodriguez is a cornerstone for Kentucky — measured against the line he joined.
97REC YDS12REC1REC TD
TEAM RECEIVING YARDS LEADER
310
Team leader in receiving yards (310).
Read the story so far
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-15
His career
The week the volume broke through — put up 78 yds at Vanderbilt.Vanderbilt · L 17-452025
20246 games
- Signed with Kentucky3-star out of Covington Catholic
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Kentucky
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024–2025
Kentucky
2026era →
Will Stein
Kentucky
Coaching transition mid-career: Mark Stoops → Will Stein. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Kentucky4-8HC: Mark Stoops · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Kentucky5-7HC: Mark Stoops · Run-leaning
2026Kentucky1-1HC: Will Stein · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Medium-low confidence
Concern: rec yards (21st percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 6.0 REC/g, 48.5 YDS/g, 9.1 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.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #11 of 20 SEC TEs
How the All-SEC estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 45–13
4 rec · 48 yds · 1 TD
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 1 · Youngstown State · 4&2 · Q2 · EPA +2.85Willie Rodriguez 2 Yd pass from CJ Baxter (Adam Zouagui Kick)
- Week 2 · Alabama · 4&4 · Q4 · EPA +2.00(08:36) Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short right to #81 W.Rodriguez caught at UK37, for 6 yards to the UK37, End Of Play, 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Alabama · 2&9 · Q3 · EPA +1.31(13:30) Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short right to #81 W.Rodriguez caught at UK29, for 18 yards to the UK29, End Of Play, 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Alabama · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +1.25(00:22) Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short left to #81 W.Rodriguez caught at UK27, for 9 yards to the UK34 (#1 D.Thompkins; #7 C.Woodson)
- Week 1 · Youngstown State · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +1.03(09:21) #3 K.Minchey pass complete short left to #81 W.Rodriguez caught at YSU49, for 20 yards to the YSU30 (#5 C.Marshall), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Youngstown State · 3&6 · Q1 · EPA +0.93(07:52) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short middle to #81 W.Rodriguez caught at YSU20, for 14 yards to the YSU12 (#6 J.Jackson), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Alabama · 4&1 · Q1 · EPA +0.92K. Minchey pass to W. Rodriguez for 1 yd for a 1ST down, W. Rodriguez fumbled, forced by K. Sabb
- Week 2 · Alabama · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.69(13:07) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short left to #81 W.Rodriguez caught at UK27, for 1 yard to the UK30 (#7 C.Woodson)
- Week 1 · Youngstown State · 2&6 · Q1 · EPA +0.24(12:12) No Huddle-Shotgun #3 K.Minchey pass complete short left to #81 W.Rodriguez caught at YSU21, for 12 yards to the YSU10 (#3 M.Wells), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Alabama · 2&3 · Q2 · EPA +0.23(08:51) #3 K.Minchey pass complete short right to #81 W.Rodriguez caught at UK35, for 3 yards to the UK35 (#36 Q.Reese), 1ST DOWN
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Shows up in the passing game from any alignment.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Kentucky
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · 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
DNA match
Player DNA
Complete TE
No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.
TE
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Brady Russell’s 2019 season.
Matches Brady on
Total EPA (college ability)
Height
TD rate
Differs from Brady on
Reception volume (higher)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Neal Johnson’s path through Louisiana.
95%match
All-Sun Belt
Matches Neal on
Height
Yards per reception
Weight
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Michael Vice's junior season at Troy (2022).
Matches Michael on
EPA / play (adj)
Total EPA (college ability)
Weight
Differs from Michael on
Recruiting rating (higher)
The tight end room · Kentucky
- #81Willie Rodriguez310 receiving yards · 2025
- #87Henry Boyer62 receiving yards · 2025
- #85Elijah Brownno box-score line yet
- #44Justin Kattusno box-score line yet
- #11Lincoln Watkinsno box-score line yet
1 more on the roster · Kentucky team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology