LEXINGTON, Ky. — Six University of Kentucky football players have been honored on Athlon Sports' 2026 All-SEC Team, recognition that comes as the Wildcats prepare for the inaugural season under first-year head coach Will Stein.

Offensive lineman Lance Heard earned second-team all-conference honors after transferring to Kentucky from Tennessee, where he made all 12 starts at left tackle in 2025 and was previously named All-SEC Third Team. The 6-foot-6, 325-pound senior from Louisiana has played over 1,700 career snaps while allowing just three sacks overall.

Tight end Willie Rodriguez and offensive lineman Coleton Price both earned third-team offensive selections. Rodriguez, a 6-4, 249-pound sophomore from Taylor Mill, started seven of 12 games and caught six passes for 78 yards against Vanderbilt — the most by a Kentucky tight end since C.J. Conrad's six catches in 2015. Price, a 6-3, 308-pound transfer from Baylor, allowed only one sack on 526 pass block snaps in 2025 and was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List.

On the defensive side, defensive lineman Tavion Gadson and defensive back Ty Bryant were named third-team selections. Bryant, a Lexington native and sophomore, paced the team with 76 tackles while leading the Southeastern Conference with four interceptions, including a two-pick performance against Ole Miss. He was also named All-SEC Second Team for his efforts.

Gadson recorded 28 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks — tied for second on the team — in 11 games as a sophomore. Defensive lineman Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace earned fourth-team honors after arriving from South Dakota in fall 2025. The 6-4, 271-pound junior from Cincinnati started all 12 games and led the defensive line with 31 total tackles while tying a team best with 3.5 sacks.

Kentucky will open its 2026 campaign on September 5 against Youngstown State at 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.