The 2026 NFL Draft is just over a week away. Professional football organizations are hosting final visits and making the final adjustments to their big board rankings. Personnel departments are focusing on the last weekend in April for the three-day mega-event in Pittsburgh that will include 257 picks over seven rounds.

For the Kentucky football program, the Wildcats are scheduled to have a busy Day 2 and Day 3. There are a handful of players who could become draft selections. KSR is here to get the Big Blue Nation ready after being there every step of the way during the pre-draft process.

Before our yearly draft guide publishes on draft week at KSR+, profiles on every expected Kentucky draft pick will hit the world wide web in preparation for the biggest non-game event on the sports calendar.

A two-year starter at offensive guard gets the party started.

Player: Jalen Farmer

Height: 6047

Weight: 312

Age: 21.7

Arm: 34 1/4″

Hand: 9 1/4″

40-Yard Dash: 4.93

10-Yard Split: 1.75

Short Shuttle: DNP

Vertical: 27″

Broad Jump: 9’00”

Bench: 37

Per Relative Athletic Score, Jalen Farmer posted solid weight and vertical numbers but his speed and strength testing were outstanding. The two-year starter at right guard has one of the best athletic profiles at his position in this draft class. The testing helped boost Farmer’s draft stock.

Production

2022 (Freshman | Florida): 2 games, 29 snaps

2023 (Redshirt Freshman | Florida): 2 games, 27 snaps

2024 (Redshirt Sophomore | Kentucky): 12 games, 12 starts, 765 snaps (at right guard), 62.3 PFF grade, 14 pressures allowed (2 sacks), 6 penalties

2025 (Redshirt Junior | Kentucky): 12 games, 12 starts, 818 snaps (at right guard), 69.8 PFF grade, 14 pressures allowed (3 sacks), 1 penalty

Career: 28 games, 24 starts, 1,639 snaps, 28 pressures allowed (5 sacks), 7 penalties

Background

Jalen Farmer was a three-star recruit out of Covington (Ga.) Eastside who had an interesting recruitment. The prospect got a ton of late interest with Kentucky locking in an official visit in December. During that time, UK offensive line coach Eric Wolford surprisingly left for the the same gig at Alabama and kept recruiting Farmer. The offensive guard did not sign during the December period and that allowed Wolford to recruit him again. Farmer took late official visits to Alabama and Florida. The Gators ultimately won out.

Farmer appeared in just four games during his first two seasons of college football. The interior offensive line player decided to leave Gainesville after spending two years in Billy Napier‘s program. A familiar face then won out in the transfer portal recruitment.

Kentucky won a competitive transfer recruitment for Farmer. This offensive guard would finally play for Wolford in 2024. The SEC transfer became a plug-and-play starter for UK at right guard and never left the field over the last two seasons. The addition was physically impressive from the jump and immediately became one of the best players on offense in Lexington.

Farmer showed improvement over two seasons and was one of Kentucky’s most consistent blockers in the trenches. The veteran was very likely to receive preseason All-SEC honors ahead of the 2026 season. He decided to enter the draft instead.

Scouting Report

Jalen Farmer was a two-year starter at Kentucky who flashed play strength and good positional size due to his tall and wide frame. Farmer is not an overpowering mauler in the run game, but he can create consistent movement against big defensive tackles, and plays with good pad level showing knee bend to win the leverage fight. His long reach makes an impact both in the run and pass game. The play strength gives the offensive guard a strong anchor in pass protection.

Farmer is an athletic guard who has a high-ceiling in protection due to his length and ability to anchor along with some impressive drive blocking reps. This right guard can mow over defenders when he is locked in and fired up with the motor humming. The Kentucky product would be best suited for a downhill gap-scheme rushing attack where his drive blocking could shine. The fit could be tricky with zone-scheme teams that ask for a lot of lateral movement including climbing up to linebackers when running a track. This is an impressive athlete who still has room for growth but is at his best playing north/south. Farmer could be considered one of the biggest upside prospects at guard in this draft class. Run blocking is ahead of pass blocking right now, but Farmer’s athletics traits will give NFL teams a lot to work with in protection.

Farmer has positioned himself to be a potential starter as a rookie due to his combination of size and strength. He looks like an NFL guard. He has the strength and power of an NFL guard.

Draft Window

Jalen Farmer’s decision to enter the 2026 NFL Draft caught many by surprise but that is turning out to be a wise decision. The Kentucky product has a great chance to become one of the first five guards picked in Pittsburgh. Farmer will very much be in draft range when we get to Day 2.

After a positive performance at the Senior Bowl was backed up by strong testing, Farmer improved his stock during the pre-draft process. Vega Ioane (Penn State), Chase Bisontis (Texas A&M), and Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon) must come off the board first. That could all happen before the end of Round 2. Farmer will be at the top of the draft boards in Round 3.

Farmer is the heavy favorite to become Kentucky’s highest draft pick this season. A team will spend an early pick on the right guard and likely ask him to become a year one starter.