Tight end, Kentucky, 2024–⁠26

Willie Rodriguez

Lettered 2024–⁠25 (school media guide)

Number
No. 81
Height
6′4″
Weight
249 lb
Class (2026)
Junior
Hometown
Taylor Mill, KY

Willie Rodriguez plays tight end for Kentucky. Last time out, at Oklahoma: 5 catches, 38 yards, 2 TD.

2026 so far

33 catches, 257 yards, 3 TD

Last game: 5 catches, 38 yards, 2 TD at Oklahoma, W 21–⁠13

Next game: vs. Vanderbilt, Oct 24

Game by game this season, receiving yards
  1. 48YSU
  2. 49ALA
  3. 22@TA&M
  4. 18USA
  5. 57@SC
  6. 25LSU
  7. 38@OU

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

Career highs

8catches, career highvs. Alabama, 20262receiving touchdowns, career highat Oklahoma, 2026

Receiving

Receiving yards, season by season, with his team’s record

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2024Kentucky59418.8025
2025Kentucky2331013.5153
2026Kentucky332577.8320
Career6166110.8453

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2024Kentucky81TEFr.
2025Kentucky81TESo.
2026Kentucky81TEJr.6′4″249

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsage
2024Kentucky51.19––6.0–
2025Kentucky360.5768th (n=1040)0.4620.45%
2026Kentucky450.3539th (n=829)0.4315.710%

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2026 Kentucky 7 games, 33 catches, 257 yards, 3 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLongRush
Sep 5vs.Youngstown StateW 45–⁠13448120–
Sep 12vs.AlabamaL 17–⁠45849018–
Sep 19atTexas A&MW 31–⁠21322010–
Sep 26vs.South AlabamaW 45–⁠21218011–
Oct 3atSouth CarolinaW 35–⁠345570205
Oct 10vs.LSUW 35–⁠346250110
Oct 17atOklahomaW 21–⁠13538214–
2025 Kentucky 11 games, 23 catches, 310 yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLongRush
Aug 30vs.ToledoW 24–⁠16231023–
Sep 6vs.Ole MissL 23–⁠301909–
Sep 13vs.Eastern MichiganW 48–⁠23228125–
Sep 27atSouth CarolinaL 13–⁠35266053–
Oct 4atGeorgiaL 14–⁠352705–
Oct 18vs.TexasL 13–⁠16332019–
Oct 25vs.TennesseeL 34–⁠56228018–
Nov 1atAuburnW 10–⁠31808–
Nov 8vs.FloridaW 38–⁠71808–
Nov 22atVanderbiltL 17–⁠45678020–
Nov 29atLouisvilleL 0–⁠41115015–
2024 Kentucky 6 games, 5 catches, 94 yards
DateOpponentResultRecYdsTDLongRush
Aug 31vs.Southern MissW 31–⁠0–––––
Sep 28atOle MissW 20–⁠17125025–
Oct 19atFloridaL 20–⁠48–––––
Nov 16vs.Murray StateW 48–⁠6116016–
Nov 23atTexasL 14–⁠31353025–
Nov 30vs.LouisvilleL 14–⁠41–––––

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

Is this you, or do you know of something wrong or missing here? Suggest a correction. We check each one against a source before changing the page.