AJ Swann has a Levis like arm and Speed at Wide Receiver

It might feel like deja vu all over again for the Kentucky defense this Saturday in Nashville. When Kentucky defensive coordinator watches Vanderbilt quarterback AJ Swann on tape, it feels like he’s back at practice with Will Levis.

“He has special arm strength,” Brad White said earlier this week. “It has a lot of similarities to Will (Levis), honestly, the ease at which it comes out of his hand. Easy flick of the wrist and the ball can just travel, it’s got really good spin rate to it. He’s crisp on his accuracy, does a nice job when the play breaks down because of that arm strength. Off-platform he can get that ball way down field in a hurry.

“Even if you’re in the hip pocket covered where most guys wouldn’t throw that ball, especially in a scramble situation, he trusts himself enough to be able to throw it. A good challenge, a good player, he’s playing at a high level.”

Part of the reason why Swann is confident delivering balls in tight coverage is because of his pass-catchers. Will Sheppard is one of the most talented wide receivers in the SEC. His six touchdowns are tied for the most in FBS. The man who caught the game-winner against Kentucky last fall tallied multiple scores in the first three games of the 2023 campaign. Only four others from the SEC have pulled off the same feat since 2019: Jalin Hyatt, Devonta Smith, Terrace Marshall and Ja’Marr Chase

“Everybody knows about Sheppard,” said White. “He’s probably the most complete receiver because of time on task there, but he has strong hands, can make one-on-one contested catches.”

It’s not a one-man show in the Vanderbilt wide receiver room. True freshman London Humphreys leads the SEC in explosive pass plays with five receptions of 30+ yards or more. Jayden McGowan is not far behind with three 30+ yards receptions. They

“They’re fast… 6 (McGowan) and 83 (Humphreys) can flat roll, so we’ve got to be mindful of them being able to take the top off and get behind the defense. They create a lot of big plays,” said White.

“All of their skill guys — their tight ends, you can see how well they run and can separate. They’ve done a really nice job from a skill position standpoint of creating team speed on offense.”

The core principle of Brad White’s defense is big play prevention. They’ll receive the ultimate test this Saturday against AJ Swann and the Commodores explosive aerial attack.

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