Senior Bowl Watchlist includes 10 Kentucky players

As draft season starts to heat up in February, the Senior Bowl is a must-see event for every NFL team and its scouting department. The yearly all-star game in Mobile invites the best senior players from college football to participate in practice and get face-to-face time with NFL personnel departments for an entire week.

Major draft work is done during this time. In the past, Kentucky has seen Luke Fortner and Lonnie Johnson Jr. use big weeks at the event to boost their draft stock.

On Wednesday, the scouting team with the Senior Bowl released a list of the players that they’ll be keeping an eye on throughout the college football season.

“We are excited to release the 10th Annual Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List. Our scouting team has been working since last February to identify the “best of the best” draft prospects at every level of college football for the 2023 NFL Draft. All 484 position players (non-specialists) who made the list were evaluated by our staff and tape-based grades were logged on hundreds of other senior prospects. Every player on this list is eligible to participate in an all-star game as either a 2018 high school graduate or true four-year player (with five or more games played in three previous seasons). This list does not include many true or redshirt juniors who could become eligible as December 2022 (or earlier) graduates.”

Alabama leads the way with 12 players on the list and LSU is right behind the Crimson Tide at 11. Kentucky checks in at No. 3 tied with NC State as both the Wildcats and Wolfpack have 10 players listed.

Once again, Mark Stoops has built a roster with some next-level talent. Here are the players that the Senior Bowl will be keeping a close eye on in Lexington:

• Brenden Bates (TE)
• Kenneth Horsey (OL)
• Jacquez Jones (LB)
• Will Levis (QB)
• Tashawn Manning (OL)
• Tayvion Robinson (WR)
• Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB)
• DeAndre Square (LB)
• Keaton Upshaw (TE)
• Jordan Wright (LB)

A combination of transfer portal recruiting and the extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 season has helped enhance the development work done at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. Kentucky will have an old roster in 2022, and most of its veterans will play important roles on the team.

Over the last four years, Kentucky has seen 17 former players selected in the NFL Draft as the Cats have built a reputation of being one of the best developmental programs in college football. That doesn’t appear to be changing this fall as Kentucky will have a roster littered with potential draft picks.

If you’re looking for reasons to believe why this year could be special for Kentucky football, the Senior Bowl Watchlist could be added to your list. Scouts have their attention on the Big Blue.

Can Will Levis reach expectations?

Kentucky will again produce multiple draft picks when the season arrives, but redshirt senior quarterback Will Levis is the main attraction. The former Penn State transfer has a chance to become Kentucky’s second top-10 selection of the Stoops era.

A lot of scouting work has gone into Kentucky’s QB1 in the offseason. Everyone from fans to scouts is ready to see what Levis will bring to the field in 2022.

“We’ve spent a lot of time studying Will, and I’ve had the chance to see him throw live a couple times this summer,” said Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, who saw Levis throw at both the Manning Passing Academy in July and at Kentucky’s training camp in early August.

“Physically, he has everything NFL teams are looking for. More importantly, his coaches and former teammates can’t say enough good things about his work ethic and competitiveness.”

“I know he’s exhausted himself in his preparation this season. We can’t wait to see him play this fall.”

Kentucky has a great chance for a special season where the Wildcats could make a real run at an SEC East title because of No. 7. Playing in a pro-style scheme, Levis could make NFL organizations fall in love with him this year if the quarterback posts big numbers.

The buzz is palpable for the quarterback in Lexington. If Levis gets closer to his ceiling as a prospect, it should lead to a fun fall in the Bluegrass.