Kentucky football’s Will Levis preseason watch list for Davey O’Brien Award

Just in time for Kentucky Football to have its moment at SEC Media Days on Wednesday, quarterback Will Levis who is on hand has been named to the preseason Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award watchlist.

The Wildcat quarterback is poised to have an incredible season after directing and igniting the UK offense last season. His maturity, poise, leadership, and off-the-charts all-around positivity make Levis a natural choice.

The award is the oldest and most prestigious award that honors the nation’s best college quarterback and the initial list was unveiled on Tuesday.

Levis, is a 6-foot-3, 232-pound senior from Madison, Connecticut, and is preparing to start his second season under center for the Wildcats after transferring from Penn State. Levis was also named to the class last season as well and made the Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 after spearheading Big Blue’s five touchdowns in UK’s 42-21 stomping of LSU.

His highlights and play also garnered awards as a two-time FBS National Offensive Player of the Week (vs. LSU and Louisville) and a two-time College Football Performance Awards National Performer of the Week honorable mention also against the same two schools.

While there is some dark horse talk of Heisman Trophy consideration Levis was a highlight reel nearly every game last year. In those 13 games, he connected on 233 of 353 passes for 2,827 yards and 24 touchdowns. That was the most touchdowns since Andre Woodson racked up 40 in 2007.

His scrambling ability, although UK coaches would probably prefer Levis not put himself in harm’s way so often, led him to run for 376 yards and nine touchdowns.

The 3,202 total yards of total offense ranks as just the seventh player in school history to reach 3,000 yards of total offense in a season.

Levis, coach Mark Stoops, Kenneth Horsey and DeAndre Square are in Atlanta for the SEC Media Days and will meet the media on Wednesday at 2:25 pm EST. You can watch the four answers to all things Kentucky Football on the SEC Network.

The official Davey O’Brien Midseason Watch List will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 18, and will contain all active quarterbacks from the Preseason Watch List, all players honored as a weekly Great 8 recipient through the season’s first seven weeks and any additional quarterbacks approved by the selection subcommittee.

Levis, along with six other quarterbacks from the SEC, took top conference honors with the most players on the list. Other conference nominees include the  ACC (5), Pac-12 (5), Big Ten (5), American (3), Big 12 (2), C-USA (2), Mountain West (2), Sun Belt (2), Mid-American (1), Independents (1).

The 2022 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Preseason Watch List

Brennan Armstrong, Virginia, Sr., 6-2, 212, Shelby, Ohio

Stetson Bennett, Georgia, Sr., 5-11, 190, Blackshear, Ga

Gerry Bohanon, USF, Sr., 6-3, 221, Earle, Ark.

Logan Bonner, Utah State, Sr., 6-1, 230, Rowlett, Texas

Chase Brice, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-3, 235, Grayson, Ga.

Sean Clifford, Penn State, Sr., 6-2, 212, Cincinnati, Ohio

Malik Cunningham, Louisville, Sr., 6-1, 190, Montgomery, Ala.

Brett Gabbert, Miami (OH), Jr., 6-0, 209, St. Louis, Mo.

Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma, Jr., 5-11, 204, Mililani, Hawaii

Jake Haener, Fresno State, Sr., 6-1, 210, Danville, Calif.

Jaren Hall, BYU, Jr., 6-1, 205, Spanish Fork, Utah

Frank Harris, UTSA, Sr., 6-0, 200, Schertz, Texas

Sam Hartman, Wake Forest, Jr., 6-1, 208, Charlotte, N.C.

Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, Sr., 6-4, 218, Greensboro, N.C.

KJ Jefferson, Arkansas, Jr., 6-3, 242, Sardis, Miss.

Devin Leary, NC State, Jr., 6-1, 215, Sicklerville, N.J.

Will Levis, Kentucky, Sr., 6-3, 232, Madison, Conn.

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, Jr., 6-3, 210, Indian Trail, N.C.

Tanner McKee, Stanford, Jr., 6-6, 226, Corona, Calif.

Tanner Mordecai, SMU, Sr., 6-3, 218, Waco, Texas

Bo Nix, Oregon, Jr., 6-3, 214, Pinson, Ala.

Aidan O’Connell, Purdue, Sr., 6-3, 210, Long Grove, Ill.

Spencer Rattler, South Carolina, Jr., 6-1, 210, Phoenix, Ariz.

Chris Reynolds, Charlotte, Sr., 5-11, 210, Mocksville, N.C.

Cameron Rising, Utah, Jr., 6-2, 220, Ventura, Calif.

Will Rogers, Mississippi State, Jr., 6-2, 210, Brandon, Miss.

Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State, Sr., 6-1, 210, Denton, Texas

C.J. Stroud, Ohio State, Jr., 6-3, 215, Inland Empire, Calif.

Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland, Jr., 5-11, 200, Ewa Beach, Hawaii

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA, Sr., 6-1, 205, Las Vegas, Nev.

Payton Thorne, Michigan State, Jr., 6-2, 210, Naperville, Ill.

Clayton Tune, Houston, Sr., 6-3, 215, Carrollton, Texas

Tyler Van Dyke, Miami, So., 6-4, 224, Glastonbury, Conn.

Caleb Williams, USC, So., 6-1, 215, Washington, D.C.

Bryce Young, Alabama, Jr., 6-0, 194, Pasadena, Calif.