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NFL Draft Day, Kentucky Football Mock Draft Roundup

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© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky Football has had a major shift since Mark Stoops arrived on campus producing 21 draft picks in his ten years as head coach which is unheard of. The ability Stoops and his staff have shown to develop the talent of 2-3 star players is fantastic.

This has made Kentucky a much more appealing destination for recruits everywhere seeing they can also develop you and get you ready for the next step as these other top SEC schools can do.

Kentucky is looking to add its fourth first-round pick in the Stoops era in Will Levis with the other three being Bud Dupree, Josh Allen, and Jamin Davis. They are also projecting Carrington Valentine and Chris Rodriguez Jr. to be the other Wildcats drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Let’s take a look at the draft day projections.

Will Levis

CBS Sports: 2nd (Houston Texans)

ESPN, Mel Kiper Jr: 4th (Indianapolis Colts)

NFL.com: 12th (Houston Texans)

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PFF: 4th (Indianapolis Colts)

Will Levis stepped on campus in 2021 ready to make a difference for Kentucky and that’s what he did. He had an excellent 2021 season leading them to another 10-win season, then struggled in 2022 with an injury-riddled season with very poor o-line play and a bad offensive coordinator.

The hype on Will Levis before the 2022 season has not gone away though, he has shown time and time again that he has the tools to be a great QB at the next level. His adjustments made at the line along with a huge stature, elite athleticism, and a cannon of an arm.

People are either doubting Levis or very high on him. He will be the first Quarterback taken in the 1st round since Tim Couch and possibly the first Kentucky Quarterback to start an NFL game since Couch in 2003.

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Chris Rodriguez

CBS Sports: 149th (Green Bay Packers)

NFL.com: 160th (New York Giants)

PFF: 247th (San Francisco 49ers)

Rodriguez had a fantastic career for Kentucky racking up 3643 yards and 33 TD rushing in his 5 seasons as a Wildcat. He is looking to make the next step by going to the NFL this year.

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Rodriguez has the size of an NFL running back but the question for him is his speed and his ability to catch passes out of the backfield with the way the league is trending. With him projected to go anywhere in the 5th-7th round range.

Rodriguez was the backbone of the UK backfield during his time here and hopefully, he will find success at the next level.

Carrington Valentine

CBS Sports: 150th (Washington Commanders)

NFL.com: 142nd (Cleveland Browns)

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PFF: Undrafted

The improvement from Carrington Valentine from the time he first stepped onto Kentucky’s campus is incredible. He went from where he was to being Kentucky’s number-one corner in his junior season.

He has all the tools to be a great NFL corner being 6’0 with an incredible reach and great speed. He has been underrated for a couple of years now and it will be no different during the NFL draft this weekend.

If Valentine can find a good home for him in the draft, expect him to open a lot of eyes during his rookie season when he gets a chance to go out there and prove how good he is.

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Running Back Revamp: Kentucky Adds Former Oklahoma, New Mexico State Transfer

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New Mexico State University Athletics

The Wildcats bolstered their backfield with the addition of former Oklahoma and New Mexico State running back Seth McGowan on April 20, per KSR’s Nick Roush.

Standing at 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, McGowan brings size and downhill power to Kentucky’s offense. Coming off a productive season at New Mexico State, he rushed for 823 yards and three touchdowns while adding 23 receptions for 277 yards and three more scores through the air.

A former four-star recruit in the class of 2019, McGowan originally signed with Oklahoma and logged 370 rushing yards, three touchdowns and 201 receiving yards with one touchdown during his lone season with the Sooners.

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On May 7, 2021, McGowan was removed from Oklahoma following his involvement in a legal case in which he was arrested and charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The charges were ultimately dismissed, but he pleaded guilty to larceny from a person at nighttime in December of that year.

After a stint at NAIA school Texas College in 2022, where he did not see game action, McGowan continued his path back to Division I football, playing six games with Butler Community College before transferring to New Mexico State for the 2024 season.

Now, with his past behind him, McGowan has a chance to turn the page and contribute in a major way to the Wildcats’ offense.

Running backs coach Jay Boulware, who helped Oklahoma sign McGowan out of high school, likely played a role in bringing him to Kentucky, where he is expected to have one year of eligibility remaining.

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Along with Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell, McGowan could be a part of a versatile and punishing backfield tandem for the Wildcats. While Dowdell brings a physical, downhill rushing style, McGowan’s ability to contribute in both the run and pass game adds a dynamic layer to offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan’s pro-style system, which emphasizes balance and explosive playmaking.

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Jamon Dumas-Johnson: A NFL Draft Steal

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Kentucky Wildcats linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson (2) makes the sign of the cross while taking a knee before the game.
Carter Skaggs | Imagn

Before he transferred to Kentucky, Jamon Dumas-Johnson was an All-American at Georgia, with waves to at least test the NFL draft after winning a National Championship. However, with the decision to play his last collegiate season as a Wildcat, Dumas-Johnson was a cornerstone piece for the Kentucky defense, finishing the season with 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during his 11 starts for the team. 

His athleticism spoke volumes at Kentucky football’s NFL pro day, where current NFL draft boards now list the linebacker as one of the best athletes at the position and has earned himself a “top 10” feel ahead of the draft. Before pro day, publications such as Bleacher Report had him listed as No. 13 at his position. 

Dumas-Johnson proved himself with the highest vertical jump (37.5) and the longest broad jump (10.60) out of the Wildcats who competed in said events, and ran an impressive best 4.50 40-yard dash. At 245 pounds, he also managed to press 16 reps of 225, which could technically be “better” compared to NFL standards, but is impressive nonetheless in hindsight.

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At 23 years old, this linebacker exploits explosiveness, agility and can hawk down any playmaker on the field. Out the 31 NFL teams that attended the event (a Cleveland Browns representative did not attend), one will be getting a prize steal of the draft with Dumas-Johnson. 

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Alex Raynor: A Rare Gem In This Year’s NFL Draft

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Kentucky Wildcats place kicker Alex Raynor (16) lines up a kick.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

Alex Raynor had an illustrious season for Kentucky last year, being named to First-Team All-SEC, as a finalist for the Lou Groza award and as SEC Special Teams Player of the Year.

As the record holder for the longest field goal in program history, and arguably one of, if not the, most consistent kickers to ever be a Wildcat, Raynor now looks to the NFL Draft in the next chapter of his book. 

Recently, at Kentucky football’s NFL Pro Day on Tuesday, March 11, Raynor kicked off the event with his workout. 

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Although he would miss a routine kick for him inside of the 45, he would continue to move back, nailing a 55-yard kick and nearly making a 60-yard kick. 

The best moments of his workout came when Raynor would line up behind the UK logo inside of Nutter Field House and would nail a 65-yard field goal.

That, although it’s an indoor kick and is not faced with the NFL pressure, would be one of the longest field goals in NFL history. 

Historically, it’s extremely rare for kickers to be drafted any higher than the 6th, more commonly going in the late rounds on the third day. 

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However, Raynor would hold as one of the rare occasions to go higher than projected, due to his historic year as a Wildcat.

Wherever the young man from Georgia ends up in the pros, don’t be surprised if you hear his name every reoccurring Sunday.

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