2022 – r-Freshman
• Saw action in 10 games and had four catches for 82 yards
• Got his first collegiate catch and totaled two receptions for 17 yards in the win over Youngstown State
• Had one catch for a career-long 50 yards in the win over Mississippi State

2021 – Freshman
• Redshirt season
• Suffered a knee strain in August that did not require surgery

High School
• 247sports ranks him as a four-star prospect, the No. 3 prospect in Kentucky, No. 51 receiver and No. 300 overall player nationally
• Three-star recruit by Rivals and rated the No. 4 player in Kentucky and No. 74 receiver nationally
• Known for his high-end speed and explosiveness who has drawn comparisons in some circles to the NFL’s Brandin Cooks
• Frederick Douglass coach Nathan McPeek: “He is track fast but he translates that to the field. If he touches the ball five times he could score five touchdowns … He’s not as big as Lynn (Bowden) but he can do some of those things.”
• Finished with 91 receptions for 1,505 yards and 22 touchdowns in his prep career
• In 2020, named second-team All-State by the AP and the Louisville Courier-Journal after totaling 25 catches for 331 yards and nine touchdowns
• Averaged 13.0 yards per catch
• Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” list of the top seniors in Kentucky
• Owns the school record for career touchdown receptions (14 before 2020) and in a season 11 (2018), as well as career receiving yards and yards in a season (831, 2018)
• In 2018, had 37 receptions for 831 yards
• Selected the hometown Wildcats over a top 10 that included Louisville, Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor, South Carolina and Virginia Tech

Personal
• Name pronounced “da-KEL CROWD-us”
• Born in Lexington, Kentucky
• Son of Shonda Minnifield
• Siblings are Shania Lyvers and Shylah Lyvers
• Uncle, Frank Minnifield, was a defensive back for the Cleveland Browns from 1984-92 and was a four-time pro-bowler; cousin, Chase Minnifield, played for the Washington Football Team from 2012-14
• Major is pre-media art studies with a minor in photography

Dekel Says
• His nickname is “Kel”
• He chose Kentucky because it felt like home
• His dream job is to own his own gym and be a personal trainer
• One word to describe him on the field is “unpredictable”
• Besides football, he’s also good at drumming, basketball and soccer

News

Football
October 15, 2022

Chris Rodriguez Jr. Leads No. 22 Kentucky Past No. 16 Mississippi State

Young Talent Ready to Contribute in Season Opener

Football
August 9, 2022

Kentucky Offense Has Options at Wide Receiver

Dekel Crowdus