Former Kentucky cornerback Carrington Valentine has finally heard his name called in the 2023 NFL draft, as the speedy DB was selected No. 232 overall by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round on Saturday.
Valentine was a 3-star coming out of Moeller High School in Cincinnati. His freshman season in 2020 saw 10 tackles, a PBU and a forced fumble in 10 games.
He was then thrown into the fire in 2021, starting 12 of 13 games. He ranked fourth on the team with 61 tackles, while also adding one sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a QBH, though he was a frequent target via opposing quarterbacks and receivers.
Valentine rebounded in a big way in his final season, becoming a leader in the secondary while totaling 10 PBU's, 46 tackles (33 solo), one interception, one sack and one fumble recovery.
"I feel i'm the best press-man corner in this draft class. I went against the best competition in the country — the SEC," Valentine told Wildcats Today. "Compared to all the guys who are getting the hype and stuff like that, with how I covered those guys, compared to them, it looks different and it is different. I just feel like you can turn on the tape and look at it."
Valentine carries some exciting traits and appears to have plenty of upside, something that has resulted in his name staying on draft boards. He'll now take his talents to Lambeau Field.
He's the third Wildcat to be selected in the 2023 NFL draft, joining quarterback Will Levis, who went No. 33 overall in the second round to the Tennessee Titans, and running back Chris Rodriguez, who went to the Washington Commanders in the sixth round earlier on Saturday.
"I'm a competitor, someone who's durable. A lockdown corner that's gonna frustrate receivers. A good overall person and someone who's really willing to learn. I'm only 21, so I'm still learning things and I'm never going to stop wanting to learn," Valentine said. "Someone you can count on and someone who's going to come in and try to make a difference on the team in some way."
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