Eli Cox joins Houston Texans

The hometown product and four-year letterman appeared in an impressive 56 games as a Wildcat.

It was a welcome sight for Kentucky Wildcats fans to see a beloved Wildcat signed following the 2025 NFL Draft.

Four-year letter winner Eli Cox was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Houston Texans and will aim to claw his way onto the final roster this fall.

Cox had a masterful career in Lexington, appearing in 56 games, including 38 consecutive starts, over the last three seasons. The Nicholasville native was named a two-time team captain and has been a stabilizing force on the UK offensive line since his sophomore season in 2021.

Cox represented the football program on the Student-Athlete advisory committee for four straight years, he was also named the chair of the SEC Football Leadership Council.

His influence on the spirit of Kentucky Athletics went far beyond any on-field contributions. Cox was married in 2024 to his longtime girlfriend, Lauryn Willis. He stated that his all-time dream job would be sports broadcasting. With his pedigree and experience playing in the best football conference in America, I’d say he has all the tools necessary to make that broadcasting dream a reality.

However, Eli Cox has more football to play and will be aiming to prove to any critics that he has what it takes to transition to the NFL.

Here is what NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlen had to say about Cox’s chances to play professionally.

“Sixth-year senior and two-time team captain with average size but positional flexibility. Cox plays with measured steps to track his block in space and does a nice job of running his feet through contact as a helper. He strains through the block but has trouble keeping a heads-up nose tackle from playing past him or shedding him off his base. Cox’s shorter arms and inconsistent instincts against rush games will make it difficult for him to keep his A-gaps protected and will be concerning for offensive line coaches.”

There is no doubt that the BBN will be rooting hard for Eli Cox to make it into the NFL, but no matter what, he’ll go down as a legend and great ambassador of the Kentucky football program.