Transferring to Kentucky from Penn State, Will Levis was a relatively unheard-of name. Now later this week, Levis has the opportunity to become just the third Kentucky quarterback to be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft in program history.
It hasn’t come easy nor without controversy, let’s take a look at Levis’ preparation as his dream nears its reality.
NFL Combine
Will Levis’ first showcase took place in the NFL Combine, and all eyes were on him. Everyone in Lucas Oil Stadium stopped what they were doing to see how Levis would perform. It’s safe to say that everyone was impressed with him.
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Will Levis was able to show off his “cannon” during the throwing drills he partook in. Levis’ top throwing speed reached a blistering speed of 59 mph, which was the 3rd fastest of the combine, behind Florida’s Anthony Richardson (60 mph) and UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson (62 mph).
Levis showed off just how far he can sling the football as well. He truly thinks he can throw the ball 80 yards, and you can see why he is so confident about that. He also showed that he has not only insane power, but near-precision accuracy as well. Below is a video of some of his throws from the NFL Combine:
His size and athletic ability also stood out from his peers. Levis measured in at 6’4, 229 lbs, he has a 10 5/8-inch hand size and a 32-inch arm length, and he recorded a 34-inch vertical and a 10’4 broad jump to go along with that.
UK Pro Day
Scouts, coaches, and GMs from all 32 NFL teams were in Lexington to see Will Levis up close. Just like during his NFL Combine performance, everyone made sure to see how Levis would do.
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Once again, his ability to sling the football for miles with deadly precision amazed everyone watching. It was more of the same for Levis. His size, athleticism, and throwing ability proved why he will go high in the NFL Draft. Watch Will Levis at UK Pro Day below:
NFL Draft Projection
Where does Will Levis go in the NFL Draft following his showings at the NFL Combine and UK Pro Day? Well, here are what some of the top NFL analysts think:
The vast majority of projections have Levis going in the top 10, while some have him as high as a top three pick and as low as a fringe first-rounder.
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Physical Transformation
Since the end of the college football season, Will Levis has been putting in extra work in order to prepare himself for the NFL. Physically, Levis has become stronger and you can certainly tell.
On Monday, Louisville football defensive back Tayon Holloway was detained and charged with first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault.
This comes just days after the former four-star prospect committed a costly personal foul to put a 2-7 Stanford team in field goal range and upset Louosillve 38-35 with a walk-off field goal.
As expected, Holloway has been indefinitely suspended from the team.
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“The University of Louisville is aware of the arrest of football student-athlete Tayon Holloway,” the university said in a statement. “As we gather more information, Tayon has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities.”
Things Cardinals seem to be in a downward trend as the Commonwealth Cup nears, November 30th.
Kentucky gets a much-needed victory over Murray St 48-6 to snap its four-game losing Streak. Brock Vandagriff led the way for the Cats, going 12-19 for 183 passing yards and two touchdown passes to Hardley Gilmore IV and Ja’Mori Maclin. 48 Points is the most points Kentucky has scored in a game since 2021 when the Cats scored 51 points against Louisville.
The defense held Murray St. without a touchdown. For the second time this season, Kentucky’s defense has held an opponent without a touchdown.
Freshman Standout today:
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For the second time this season, Kentucky breaks the 40-point mark as three freshmen make impacts for Kentucky. Jamarion Wilcox had 13 carries and 124 yards with a touchdown in the 3rd quarter.
Receiver Hardley Gilmore IV had two receptions for 72 yards and caught the 52-yard touchdown pass from Brock Vandagriff on the game-opening drive.
Four-star quarterback Cutter Boley started the second half for the Cats, going 10-14 and passing for 130 yards with two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, both touchdown passes to sophomore receiver Anthony Brown-Stephens.
Defense Bounces Back:
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After giving up over 475 yards of total offense each of the last three games, Kentucky’s defense holds Murray State to 256 total yards of offense while also having three takeaways from the Murray State offense
Defensive Lineman Tre’vonn Rybka led the way for the defense with five tackles and the only sack of the game for Kentucky’s defense. Jordan Lovett had two takeaways in the first half for Kentucky and one in the red zone in the second quarter. Jackson Schultz had the final takeaway, picking off Jim Ogle’s pass late in the fourth quarter.
Box Score
With the win today over Murray St., Kentucky moves to 4-6 (1-6 SEC) with two games remaining. They look to keep their bowl eligibility alive as they travel to Austin, Texas, and face the No. 3 ranked Texas Longhorns at 3:30 pm on ABC.
To say there is unrest in the Kentucky Football fanbase would be an understatement. With a 3-6 record overall, and 1-6 in the SEC (15th out of 16) things look bleak, and there is still a quarter of the season to go. Considering the regression from the previous two seasons as well, it’s difficult to be optimistic about the future.
Over the last few weeks, rumors have circled that head coach Mark Stoops has considered retiring at the end of the season. Optics wise it makes sense, his older brother Bob Stoops surprisingly retired from Oklahoma at just 56, and Mark, now 57, has expressed a desire to spend more time with his children.
At his weekly press conference, Stoops was asked directly if there is any chance that he would walk away from Kentucky and retire at the season. To which he responded, bluntly:
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“Zero percent chance I do that. Next question.”
Mark Stoops is still owed more than $44 million on his contract. That’s A LOT of money to leave on the table and is the reason that the decision will be Stoops’ to make, as Kentucky cannot afford the buyout.
If Stoops holds true to his word and returns next season, NIL fundraising efforts may be the most difficult it has been for him. However, he hopes it sparks motivation to donate.
“I’ve seen it at other SEC schools,” Stoops said. “I want to stay away from that. I really get tired of — I don’t want to be like I am whining, I am crying. It is reality. You have to have dollars.”