The Pressure is on Jordan Griffin to anchor UK’s secondary

Senior Jordan Griffin hasn’t been in the spotlight much in his time at Kentucky. Upon his arrival on campus in 2016, Griffin was buried behind future NFL draftees and signees.

Now as he enters his senior season, Griffin is now the face of the secondary with Davonte Robinson’s season-ending injury. Griffin who can play both the corner and safety position will have a lot of pressure this season, but he has all the tools to handle it.

Jordan Griffin

• Position: Safety/Cornerback
• Hometown: Jonesboro, GA
• School: Jonesboro High School
• Recruit Rankings: No. 37 Cornerback in 2016

Griffin decided very early on in his recruitment process who verbally committed to Kentucky in December of 2014. He was rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals and a three-star by 247 Sports and was among Kentucky’s highest-rated recruits in the class of 2016.

In his freshman season of 2016, Griffin played in eight games. He recorded six tackles and was named to the SEC First-year Academic Honor Roll.

As a sophomore in 2017, Griffin had an increased role. He played in all 13 games for the Cats and made his first career start week five against Eastern Michigan. Griffin finished the season with 22 total tackles, three pass breakups and an interception, which was the first of his career.

Finally as a junior in 2018, Griffin appeared in 12 games (missed Mississippi State game with an injury) and recorded 13 total tackles and broke up three passes.

All in all, the numbers show that Griffin was indeed stuck behind several on the depth chart. Despite this, he is the only secondary player on the Kentucky roster who has a start in the SEC in his carer meaning the Cats will need him to live up to the high school carer that earned him a four-star grade.

The group that Griffin will lead includes junior college defensive backs Quandre Mosley and Brandin Echols, redshirt sophomores Cedrick Dort and Tyrell Ajan and redshirt freshman Jamari Brown and Stanley Garner.

Clearly, the group is inexperienced, but Griffin has the potential to be a great leader. Off the field, he’s made SEC honor roll every season of his career and this past offseason represented Kentucky at the SEC Football Leadership Council, which allows a player from each team to discuss issues related to the student-athlete experience and student-athlete wellness.

Griffin has the tools to be a leader. Now he just has to prove he can also be a force at the safety position, as Kentucky’s secondary is the one group that could keep the Cats from shocking the college football world again in 2019.

“I believe it’s a standard that we have, that separates us,” said Griffin during fall camp. “We’re very disciplined, very determined, very dedicated. Those are things we live by. Those are things we try to do when we step on the field and play every play like its your last. That’s what keeps us going.”