Get to know the Kentucky football roster: No. 28 Demarcus Gardner

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We are now exactly four weeks away from the start of the 2026 Kentucky football season, the first under coach Will Stein. As we count down the days, we're getting to know the players who make up the team, and today we're looking at No. 28, Demarcus Gardner.

Gardner is a 6'0", 177 lb defensive back out of Cedartown, Georgia. As part of the 2025 recruiting class, he was rated four stars by 247Sports and ranked as the No. 571 overall player in their composite rankings after playing offense, defense, and special teams in high school. He had offers from a number of power schools, including Ole Miss, but committed to the Wildcats.

Last season, he did see action in three games, but ultimately redshirted. Those should prove to be valuable reps, however, giving him a glimpse of what playing in the SEC is like. He recorded a couple of tackles in his limited playing time.

This season, he isn't expected to be a starter, but he should be a quality backup who will certainly find his way onto the field. He's a talented player, and a future starter in Lexington. Stein will be glad that he stayed with the program through the coaching change.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Get to know the Kentucky football roster: No. 28 Demarcus Gardner

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