Former UK Football linebacker Eli Brown is heading home, commits to Western Kentucky

Eli Brown, who started five games for Kentucky in 2017, announced his transfer from the UK Football program on Feb. 9.

He has found a new home.

Brown announced via Twitter on Saturday that he will be joining the Western Kentucky football program. The former UK linebacker is a former standout at Warren East high school, located in Bowling Green, Ky.

Brown was set to enter his junior season with the Wildcats. Brown received a jump in snaps when Jordan Jones injured his shoulder early last season. Jones’ injury allowed Brown to start at weakside linebacker.

The Bowling Green, Ky., native was ninth on the team with 38 tackles last season. He had two tackles for a loss.

“Being a UK Wildcat was an honor and a privilege,” Brown tweeted Friday night. “I learned a lot about myself as well as the game of football. My time as a Wildcat has come to an end. But I’m walking away a better athlete and better young man. UK will forever be in my heart.”

When Brown announced he would be leaving a month ago, UK football coach Mark Stoops wished him moving forward with his academic and athletic career.

“With Eli, wish him the best,” Stoops said. “He’s a good kid. He’s played. He’s helped us. So we wish him the best.”

With Brown gone, Jamin Davis and Alex King are expected to fill that void on the depth chart at linebacker.

“Jamin (Davis) would be the first option,” Stoops said. “Jamin, there’s a perfect example of a kid who’s come in, and he came in at about 195 maybe 198 pounds and 6-foot-3. Now he’s 6-foot-3 and about 220 pounds and on his way to looking like a grow man. That’s what we need in there. We also moved Alex King inside as well, but he’s working at Mike but they’ll be interchangeable. Alex is another guy, 6-foot-3, 6-foot-4, 230, 240 pounds getting some size in there that we need.”

Brown was the No. 1 prospect in Kentucky’s 2015 signing class. He was the No. 2 prospect in the state and a U.S. Army All-American.