Former UK star receiver Craig Yeast proud of what his son Russ Yeast has done on and off the field

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Yeast was often compared to his father, former UK star receiver Craig Yeast, but has made his own name and is now off to play in the NFL. (Photo by Kansas State Athletics)

As a former NFL player himself, Craig Yeast was definitely proud when his son, Russ, was picked in the seventh round of the recent NFL draft by the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.

However, he was not the most excited family member on draft night.

“I think we are all excited but think it would have been hard for any of us to be as excited as my mother (Bobbi Yeast of Harrodsburg) and my wife’s parents (Linda and Ennis Tillman of Danville). They are all tickled to death,” Craig Yeast said.

“For Russ it was a weight lifted off his shoulders. He is ready to go. My wife (Tori) and I are just proud and blessed that we have helped with faith in the Lord to raise this young man. Now he’s getting ready to live out his dream.”

Russ Yeast originally committed to Kentucky where his father set a Southeastern Conference record with 208 catches and was second in receiving yards with 2,899 yards. Craig Yeast, a former Harrodsburg High School standout, set 19 school records and was a fourth-round pick in the 1999 NFL draft.

Russ Yeast eventually signed with Louisville and played cornerback two years before moving to safety in 2019. The 5-11, 195-pound Yeast transferred to Kansas State for his final season in 2021 and had 48 tackles, 14 pass breakups and four interceptions. He led the Big 12 in passes defended with 14 and coaches made him a first-team all-conference selection.

He also started at safety in the East-West Shrine Bowl when he really got the attention of NFL scouts with his versatility and football IQ.

“He bet on himself when he transferred. There were some circumstances where he went to school and things happened that did not work in his favor for one reason or another,” Craig Yeast, who is the new football coach at Mercer County High School, said. “Sometimes when you have a kid who is extremely intelligent you have to match his intelligence and coach him that way to get the best from him. At Kansas State they recognized that and coached him accordingly.”

Russ Yeast said it was beneficial for NFL personnel to see him in person at the all-star game and he was able to “thrive” against his peers. He also got to interview with multiple teams at the bowl game.

“Coaches and scouts were calling from February the day before the draft. Having a mom and dad like mine, I was kind of schooled up. I always knew how to talk and elaborate on how I feel about things,” Russ Yeast said.

His dad played in the NFL and Canadian Football League but did not interfere in the draft process.

“He let my agents do the work. I was in Florida training and he let me be,” Russ Yeast said.

It was the same thought process when he transferred.

“I definitely felt I needed a fresh start and dad understood. At the end of the day, I was betting on myself. I knew what I could do and a lot of people around me knew what I could do,” Russ Yeast said.

Both his parents were terrific multi-sport athletes in high school. His mother, Tori, was a state high school track champion in Danville and played basketball at Kentucky. However, Russ Yeast said they never put any pressure on him.

“They always believed in me and how good I could be. They never made me have to do anything,” he said. “When I was younger I was compared to my dad more but as I got older I became my own person. That was one nice thing about Kansas State. The Yeast name did not mean as much out there.”

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