Barion Brown

HISTORY — From College Profile

 

2024 – Junior
• Preseason Second Team All-America, RS (Athlon)
• Preseason Fourth Team All-American, WR (Athlon)
• Preseason Second Team All-America, RS (Phil Steele)
• Preseason First Team All-SEC (Phil Steele, Athlon)

 

Has 2,407 career all-purpose yards with 1,167 yards receiving, 145 yards rushing, 1,016 kick return yards and 79 punt return yards. Holds the UK records and tied the SEC records for most kickoff return touchdowns in a career (4) and season (3). Led the nation in 2023 in kickoff returns by averaging 36.0 yards per runback; that mark ranks 17th all-time in college football (since 1976) for a single season. Became just the second player in school history to have a rushing, receiving and kickoff return for a touchdown in the same game when he did it last season vs. Clemson in the Gator Bowl. Only player in the nation to chart three kickoff returns for touchdowns since South Florida’s Brian Battie in 2021. Has caught a pass in every game he has played (26).

 

2023 – Sophomore
• All-Bowl Team (AP)
• First Team All-America (Sporting News)
• Second Team All-America (247)
• Second Team All-America (CBS Sports)
• Third Team All-American (CFN)
• First Team All-SEC (Phil Steele)
• First Team All-SEC (Pro FB Focus)
• Second Team All-SEC (Coaches)
• Second Team All-SEC (AP)
• SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (9/4)
• Has compiled 1,167 career yards receiving, moving up to No. 28 on UK’s all-time receiving yards list
• Has made a reception in every game as a Wildcat (26)
• Started in 12 of 13 games played
• Had a team-high 43 catches for 539 yards and four scores in 2023
• Also had 12 rushes for 147 yards and one rushing TD
• Totaled a team-high 16 kick returns for 576 yards and a nation-high three touchdowns … Also had three punt returns for 51 yards (17.0 ypr)
• Led the nation in kickoff returns by averaging 36 yards per runback … Broke the UK single-season and career records for KO return average
• Returned three kickoffs for touchdowns, breaking the UK single-season and career record (4) for kickoff return TDs … Tied the SEC records in both categories
• Named the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Most Valuable Player and named to the All-Bowl team by The Associated Press after totaling three receptions for 100 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown reception … Adding two carries for 26 yards and a 22-yard touchdown rushing (the first of his career) and a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the first play of the second half, his third TD return of the season and the fourth of his career
• His kickoff return for a TD, which was credited as 102 yards according to the Bowl’s stat crew, is the longest in TaxSlayer Gator Bowl history, a record previously held by Andre Debose of Florida (99 yards) against Ohio State on Jan. 2, 2012
• His kickoff return for a TD is the second for a Kentucky player in a bowl game … The other was by David Jones against East Carolina (99 yards, also at the beginning of the second half) in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Jan. 2, 2009
• Became the second player in school history to have a rushing, receiving and kickoff return for a touchdown in the same game … Last to do so was Don “Dopey” Phelps vs. Michigan State in 1946 … Also marked the first game of his career with both receiving and rushing TD
• Named SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week (11/27) after returning a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter against No. 9 Louisville … Also caught two passes for 48 yards, including a crucial 23-yard catch that set up Ray Davis’ game-winning touchdown run … Had a career-high 250 all-purpose yards on the day, 180 on kickoff returns, 48 receiving and 22 rushing
• Is just the third player in school history with a kickoff return touchdown in consecutive seasons, joining Craig Yeast (1996-1998) and Derrick Locke (2008-2009)
• Had two 100+ yard games this season (100 vs. Clemson and 105 vs. Vanderbilt) … Now has four in his career
• Hornung Award Watch List for the nation’s most versatile player

 

2022 – Freshman
• College All-True Freshman Team (PFF)
• True Freshman All-American (On3.com)
• Third-Team Freshman All-American (CFN)
• Fourth-Team All-American (Phil Steele)
• Freshman All-SEC Team (Coaches)
• Second-Team All-SEC – KR (Phil Steele)
• Fourth-Team All-SEC -WR (Phil Steele)
• Midseason True Freshman All-American (247 Sports and On3.com)
• SEC co-Freshman of the Week (10/3)
• SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (9/5)
• SEC co-Freshman of the Week (9/26)
• First Wildcat to win a SEC weekly award three times in a single season since Lynn Bowden Jr. in 2019
• Ranked tied for second nationally and led the SEC with one kickoff return for a touchdown
• Ranked fourth nationally and fourth in the SEC in kick return average (27.5)
• Ranked 24th nationally and third in the SEC combined kick return yardage (440)
• Ranked fourth in the SEC in kick returns (16)
• Played in all 13 games with seven starting assignments
• Recorded a team-best 50 catches for a team-high 628 yards, averaging 12.6 yards per catch with four scores (second-highest)
• Concluded the season the freshman record holder for most receiving yards in a season with 628 and most pass receptions in a season with 50
• His four touchdowns receiving are the second-most touchdown receptions by a freshman in program history … Teammate Dane Key holds the record with six
• Caught 10 passes for 145 yards, season highs in both categories, vs. No. 1 Georgia … Also caught UK’s lone touchdown, an 8-yard aerial in the fourth quarter … The 10 catches were the most by a UK freshman since Chad Scott had 10 vs. South Carolina in 2000 … The 145 yards were the second-most by a Wildcat freshman, Garrett Johnson had 154 at Florida in 2014 … The 145 yards also were the second-most for a Wildcat vs. a No. 1-ranked team (Rick Kestner had 185 in the win vs. Ole Miss in 1964)
• Caught seven passes for 62 yards in the win over Mississippi State
• Accounted for a career-best 245 all-purpose yards with only five touches at Ole Miss … Caught two passes for 81 yards, including a 51-yard catch-and-run that put UK in scoring position on the last possession … Also had three kickoff returns for 164 yards, an average of 54.7 yards … His 164 kickoff return yards set a new single-game freshman record … In the first quarter, he set up a touchdown with an 85-yard kickoff return … Earned SEC co-Freshman of the Week honors
• Caught four passes for 102 yards and his first two UK receiving touchdowns in his first career start vs. Northern Illinois … Had a 70-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown in the third quarter that is his longest of the season … Named SEC co-Freshman of the Week (9/26), his second SEC honor this season
• Just the second UK freshman with 100 yards and two receiving touchdowns in the same game, also Garrett Johnson at Florida in 2014
• Named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (9/5) after scoring his first career touchdown on a 100-yard kickoff return out of halftime in his collegiate debut vs. Miami (Ohio) … Became the first UK player to score on a kickoff return and a 100-yard kickoff return since Derrick Locke vs. Louisville on Sept. 19, 2009 … Marked the 19th time in program history that a UK player has scored on a kickoff return … 15 players have accomplished the feat … Six Wildcats have had 100-yard KO returns, done a total of seven times (Derrick Locke twice) … First UK freshman with a kickoff return touchdown since Kio Sanford in 1994 … Also caught three passes for 45 yards
• Had his first career rush for three yards and one catch in the win at Florida

 

HIGH SCHOOL
• A five-star prospect who ranked as high as the No. 2 wide receiver nationally and No. 2 prospect in Tennessee by on3.com
• The all-around athlete played several positions for head coach Tony Brunetti at Pearl-Cohn High School, including quarterback, running back, receiver, defensive back and kick returner during his senior season
• Earned the Tennessee Titans Class 4A Mr. Football Award
• Finished his senior year with 897 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 59 carries
• Also caught 22 passes for 303 yards and three scores
• Defensively, had 24 tackles with two for loss
• Helped lead the Firebirds to an 11-2 overall record with a second-place finish in Class 4A Region 5
• Selected to the All-American Bowl’s East roster
• Also excelled on the track and fi eld team as a back-to-back state Tennessee state champion in the 100- and 200-meter dash
• Is Pearl-Cohn’s record holder in both events
• His 10.49 second Ɵ me in the 100-meters in spring of 2021 is the third-fastest TSSAA state meet time since 1985, in any class
• Named Track Player of the Year
• Chose Kentucky over Alabama, TCU and LSU

 

PERSONAL
• Name is pronounced “BEAR-ee-ON”
• Born in Nashville, Tennessee
• Son of Shomika Brown and Barry Moore
• Has one brother, Erion
• Major is community and leadership development
• His nickname is “B7”
• He chose Kentucky because he just loved everything about it
• One word to describe him on the field is “unbelievable”
• Other than playing football, his dream job is to become a coach
• If he could eat one meal for the rest of his life it would be pizza

2022

rushing
YPC	TD	YDS	CAR	LONG
-0.5	0.0	-2.0	4.0	3.0

receiving
REC	YPR	TD	LONG	YDS
50.0	12.6	4.0	70.0	628.0

fumbles
REC	LOST	FUM
0.0	0.0	1.0

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

kickReturns
LONG	YDS	NO	TD	AVG
100.0	440.0	16.0	1.0	27.5

puntReturns
AVG	NO	TD	LONG	YDS
4.0	7.0	0.0	13.0	28.0