Draft Scout Kentucky Player News, College Football: Kentucky

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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Kentucky

Previous 15 Notes

Next 15 Notes

07/24/22 - Will Levis, rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

Kentucky football recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow may have already taken to Twitter this week to push back at one SEC reporter's perception of the Wildcats, but UK's representatives at SEC Media Days Wednesday were not as quick to embrace the annual disrespect angle. That does not mean they are not focused on proving doubters wrong though. "We know what our goals are, which is to be back here in December in Atlanta," quarterback Will Levis said. "We break it down on that, everything we do. We just want to make sure everything we do is in line with that goal." Few outside the Kentucky locker room will pick the Wildcats to win the SEC East championship. Since the league split into two divisions in 1992, Kentucky has never reached the conference championship game. The East is home to defending national champion Georgia, which has won the division in four of the last five seasons.

Meanwhile Tennessee and South Carolina, entering the second season under new coaches, are the subject of summer buzz. Kentucky has routinely been included in preseason Top 25 rankings released this summer but often between at least two division opponents. A panel of USA TODAY network SEC beat reporters picked Kentucky third in the East earlier this week. But confidence remains high in the UK locker room, thanks in large part to the return of Levis, who is widely projected as a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. "I came back to win," said super-senior linebacker DeAndre Square. "I really want this SEC championship. A lot of the guys do, too. That's the focus. We have player-led meetings all the time, and I always say if your mind is not on the SEC championship, don't even come to practice. That's the standard." - Courier Journal

rSr/2023

QB Will Levis, Kentucky
News Source: Courier Journal
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07/23/22 - Chris Rodriguez Jr., rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

Kentucky football star senior running back Chris Rodriguez is working out with the team following a May arrest on DUI charges. His coach is not ready to share any other updates about Rodriguez's status for the 2022 season, though. "Chris is there in Lexington, working hard with the team, training, getting ready," Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said Wednesday during his appearance at SEC Media Days. "I really don't have any other comment at this point about that." Rodriguez was one of 14 players featured on a 2022 season promotional poster released by UK this week.

Earlier this month, Rodriguez pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle under the influence. The plea requires Rodriguez to pay a $200 fine plus $568 in court costs by Dec. 13. His driver's license will be suspended for four to six months in Kentucky. According to an arrest report, Rodriguez was stopped by a University of Kentucky police officer after his vehicle was spotted traveling south on Nicholasville Road near UK's campus without its taillights illuminated around 3:14 a.m. on May 8. The officer reported the vehicle failed to stay in its designated lane. The officer initiated the stop prior to Alumni Drive near the UK football stadium, but Rodriguez did not stop the car until pulling into a gas station on Southland Drive almost a mile later. - Courier Journal

rSr/2023

RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
News Source: Courier Journal
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07/23/22 - Zach Calzada, rSr/2026, Kentucky + More +

Auburn's four-man quarterback battle is still as open as ever two weeks away from the beginning of fall camp, but some small updates were provided at SEC Media Days Thursday. Bryan Harsin offered a general timeline for when he'd name his starter, saying that decision will have to be made as the Tigers begin prep for their Week 1 game against Mercer on Sept. 3. "I usually say it's about 10 days out is kind of where it's happened," Harsin said. "But we'll name a starter when it's right. There'll be a time in camp where everybody knows, and then it's just a matter of how we want to roll it out."

Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada, TJ Finley, Oregon transfer Robby Ashford and true freshman Holden Geriner are set to duke it out in Auburn's battle for the QB1 spot. All have all gotten opportunities to compete, Harsin said, and regardless of order, the quartet is likely to make up the Tigers' quarterback depth chart. Calzada, who transferred to Auburn in January, was sidelined during spring practices and not a full go until late May. In two years at A&M, he threw for 2,318 yards and 19 touchdowns with a 56% completion percentage. He played in 15 games and made 10 starts in 2021, making him the Tigers' most experienced quarterback. - Opelika-Auburn News

rSr/2026

QB Zach Calzada, Kentucky
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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07/21/22 - Octavious Oxendine, rSr/2025, Kentucky + More +

Two University of Kentucky football players inked a deal with the Paris City Schools district in what the superintendent says is the first deal of its kind. Players John Young and Octavious Oxendine will serve as ambassadors for the district and make appearances throughout the school year to interact with students and community members, Paris City Schools Superintendent Stephen McCauley said in a news release. "We are excited to announce the first partnership between a Kentucky school district and collegiate student athletes," McCauley said.

In the Paris City Schools partnership, McCauley said an anonymous donor is providing the funds. There are no taxpayer dollars or school funds involved, he said in an interview with the Herald-Leader on Tuesday. McCauley did not immediately provide the amount of money involved in the deal. He said he knew of no other public school district in Kentucky that had launched a similar arrangement. In 2021, the NCAA allowed college athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness while still retaining their amateur playing ability. - Herald Leader

rSr/2025

DE Octavious Oxendine, Kentucky
News Source: Herald Leader
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07/21/22 - Devin Leary, rSr/2024, Kentucky + More +

2022 PRESEASON MAXWELL AWARD WATCH LIST: Devin Leary, NC State,...Redshirt junior North Carolina State quarterback Devin Leary (6-1, 215) owns these impressive career marks: Ranks seventh in school history with 5,542 career passing yards; Posts the best interception avoidance mark in school history with a 0.23 mark. He threw just five picks in 2021; Has thrown for 51 career touchdowns - the No. 6 mark in school history; .599 career completion percentage is tied for fifth in the Wolfpack record book; Averages 230.9 passing yards per game. In Wolfpack history, only Philip Rivers (275.2) and Ryan Finley (269.4) boast a better mark. At Timber Creek High School (New Jersey), finished his career as the state's all-time leader in passing yards (9,672) and touchdown throws (117). Completed 566-of-910 passes for 9,672 yards and 117 touchdowns. Also rushed for 525 career yards and 11 TDs. - NC State Football

rSr/2024

QB Devin Leary, Kentucky
News Source: NC State Football
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07/20/22 - Eli Cox, rSr/2025, Kentucky + More +

Eli Cox was named a midseason All-American at right guard by ESPN and the Associated Press. This spring, he moved to center, where he will replace 2021 first-team All-SEC center and third-round pick Luke Fortner. Coaches raved about Cox's early work at the position this spring, suggesting he will continue the run of standout centers for the Wildcats. - Courier Journal

rSr/2025

C Eli Cox, Kentucky
News Source: Courier Journal
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07/20/22 - Tayvion Robinson, rSr/2024, Kentucky + More +

Given the depth of talent at receiver in the SEC, it is unlikely Tayvion Robinson earns preseason all-league honors at his primary position, but he should garner support as a returner. Robinson averaged 13.1 yards per punt return with one touchdown on 25 returns for Virginia Tech last season. His average would have ranked second in the SEC, where only four players returned a punt for a touchdown last season. And if Robinson takes over the featured role in Kentucky's passing game vacated by Wan'Dale Robinson? He could be in discussion for postseason honors at wide receiver. - Courier Journal

rSr/2024

WR Tayvion Robinson, Kentucky
News Source: Courier Journal
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07/19/22 - Chris Rodriguez Jr., rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

2022 PRESEASON MAXWELL AWARD WATCH LIST: Chris Rodriguez, Kentucky,... Arrested for charges of driving under the influence and careless driving on May 8, the future of Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez remained unclear, especially due to reports of problems other than the DUI. Until this is cleared up, the Maxwell Award is only one "watch list" for Rodriguez. Last season he was named first-team All SEC by the AP for a performance which included nine 100-yard rushing games, including five straight to end the season. Rodriguez, who comes into this season as the reigning rushing leader in the SEC, figured to play a vital role for Kentucky's offense this fall. Watch for updates - Kentucky Football

rSr/2023

RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
News Source: Kentucky Football
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07/19/22 - Will Levis, rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

2022 PRESEASON MAXWELL AWARD WATCH LIST: Will Levis, Kentucky,...Quarterback Will Levis Levis transferred to the University of Kentucky in 2021, after having graduated that May from Penn State's Smeal College of Business with a bachelor's degree in finance. He was named the starter to open the season and in his first start threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns. Levis started all 13 games for Kentucky, completing 233 of 353 passes for 2,827 yards and 24 touchdown passes while running for 376 yards and 9 touchdowns on 107 rushes. Levis led the team to its second 10-win season since 2018, including defeating No. 15 Iowa in the 2022 Citrus Bowl. He achieved a measure of social media fame in 2021 with viral videos depicting quirky food habits, specifically drinking coffee with mayonnaise and eating bananas with the peel. - Kentucky Football

rSr/2023

QB Will Levis, Kentucky
News Source: Kentucky Football
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07/19/22 - Will Levis, rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

2022 PRESEASON DAVEY O'BRIEN NATIONAL QUARTERBACK AWARD WATCH LIST: Will Levis, Kentucky, Sr., 6-3, 232, Madison, Conn.,...In 13 games in 2021 Levis completed 233 of 353 passes for 2,827 yards and 24 scores, while rushing for 376 yards and nine touchdowns. His 24 TD passes were the most since Andre' Woodson had 40 in 2007. He totaled 3,202 yards of total offense, the seventh player in school history to reach 3,000 yards of total offense in a season. - Kentucky Football

rSr/2023

QB Will Levis, Kentucky
News Source: Kentucky Football
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07/19/22 - Devin Leary, rSr/2024, Kentucky + More +

2022 PRESEASON DAVEY O'BRIEN NATIONAL QUARTERBACK AWARD WATCH LIST: Devin Leary, NC State, Jr., 6-1, 215, Sicklerville, N.J.,...Last season, Leary become the first and only quarterback in ACC history to hit the 35 (TD)-5 (INT) threshold in a single season. He also set a new school single season record with 35 passing touchdowns - he broke the previous mark of 34 held by Philip Rivers (2003). Leary ranked third in the ACC in passing efficiency with a 157.1 mark - the second-best mark for a season in school history, and his 3,433 passing yards in 2021 ranks sixth in the Wolfpack single-season record book. - NC State Football

rSr/2024

QB Devin Leary, Kentucky
News Source: NC State Football
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07/15/22 - Devin Leary, rSr/2024, Kentucky + More +

Studying quarterbacks and breaking down film comes naturally to N.C. State linebacker Drake Thomas. Being in front of the camera, sans helmet and shoulder pads, is admittedly outside of his comfort zone. But it was hard to tell when he and quarterback Devin Leary were on screen recently, appearing in a series of commercials for Bobbitt Construction in Raleigh. "It takes a little time to get adjusted," Thomas said. "I'd say the first time it was awkward. I'm not an actor obviously, but we went back to do some more videos and I was definitely a lot more comfortable. It was more natural."

In three seasons, Thomas has made 192 tackles and was a first-team all-ACC performer in 2021. Last season Leary broke N.C. State's single-season record for passing touchdowns (35), while throwing just five interceptions. Their success on the field thrust them into the spotlight, and when Bobbitt Construction reached out to them about appearing on camera, they were ready. "We've never shot a video or acted before, so it's new to us," Leary said. "But it's funny to see Drake hop into a skit, like, this dude is our starting linebacker and he's doing a construction video." - Raleigh News Observer

rSr/2024

QB Devin Leary, Kentucky
News Source: Raleigh News Observer
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07/06/22 - Chris Rodriguez Jr., rSr/2023, Kentucky + More +

Star Kentucky football running back Chris Rodriguez has accepted a guilty plea resulting from a May arrest. Rodriguez was arrested May 8 just after 3 a.m. and charged with driving under the influence and careless driving. During a pretrial hearing Tuesday, Rodriguez pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle under the influence, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. The plea requires Rodriguez to pay a $200 fine plus more than $700 in court costs by Dec. 13. His driver's license will be suspended for four to six months in Kentucky. The McDonough, Georgia, native, is one of the most important players on Kentucky's roster.

He ranked second in the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards (1,379) last season. He also scored 12 touchdowns. Rodriguez ranks sixth on Kentucky's career rushing yards list (2,740) and could break Benny Snell's program record for career rushing yards with a strong senior season. After Rodriguez's May arrest, a UK spokeswoman said the athletic department would "continue to monitor the situation as it develops." A UK spokesman reached Tuesday said the school had no additional comment on Rodriguez's status at this time. - Courier Journal

rSr/2023

RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
News Source: Courier Journal
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07/06/22 - JaMori Maclin, rJr/2026, Kentucky + More +

UNT is expecting Jyarie Shorter and Tommy Bush to the ready for the season and has also added Nebraska transfer Latrell Neville. All three missed spring practice, when Maclin quickly got up to speed and showed that he could make an impact this fall. Maclin started out at Missouri and has the talent to quickly become a key weapon for UNT. - Denton Record

rJr/2026

WR JaMori Maclin, Kentucky
News Source: Denton Record
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07/02/22 - Dee Beckwith, rJr/2025, Kentucky + More +

Dee Beckwith arrives at Kentucky looking to establish his identity as a running back. During his two seasons with Tennessee, Beckwith carried the ball four times for a total of 27 yards. Despite injuries to multiple running backs ahead of him on the Volunteers' depth chart in 2021, the 6-foot-5, 227-pound Alabama native had just one rushing attempt. Beckwith spent time at quarterback, running back and wide receiver as a three-star athlete prospect at Florence High School.

He also bounced around multiple positions at UT in addition to running back but saw the field most on special teams. "He never fit at safety or linebacker on defense or tight end on offense," Tennessee football beat reporter Adam Sparks of the Knoxville News Sentinel wrote upon learning Tuesday of Beckwith's transfer to Kentucky, which the running back didn't announce on social media. So where does Beckwith fit at UK heading into his first season with the Wildcats? For now, the redshirt sophomore likely has a steep hill to climb if he wants to take carries from Smoke, Jefferson and the rest of the running back room in the event that Rodriguez isn't available. - Courier Journal

rJr/2025