Will Levis Named No. 33 Transfer in College Football

The Kentucky QB has made a significant jump since coming to Lexington in 2021

The transfer portal has taken over the world of college football. 

Whether you think it's for good or bad, the recruiting trail has taken a bit of a step back as the portal now allows players to immediately make impacts for their new teams.

Kentucky has been one of the many beneficiaries of the new transfer rules, as quarterback Will Levis made the decision to come to Lexington after beginning his college season at Penn State. 

ESPN's Tom VanHaaren released his list of the top 50 transfers in college football this season on Thursday, pegging Levis at No. 33. Here's what the staff writer had to say about the QB: 

Levis transferred before the 2021 season, but he has been a big part of Kentucky's recent success on offense. A consensus top-10 NFL draft prospect overall, he has thrown for 1,635 yards and 13 touchdowns this season and has two rushing touchdowns for the Wildcats.

A short and sweet synopsis, but yes, without Levis, UK's offense mightily falters. 

Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker, who will square off against Levis this Saturday in Knoxville, was ranked as the No. 1 transfer. 

The ranking may be too low for the Kentucky star, but it's hard to argue that anyone in the country has been more beneficial to his team than Hooker. 

Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White said this about the Vols' leader under center: 

"What Hooker's done so well is create plays sort of off schedule," White said. "His scrambles have created some really big momentum shifters. And so they first have to do a good job of understanding where he is in the pocket and how he moves around."

Offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello: 

"He's a playmaker," he said of Hooker. "That offense, it just lends itself to allow that guy to be that kind of playmaker. You need to be able to play off-schedule, to improvise, to play with confidence. I think he's playing that way, I think he's got some really good skill guys around him, they've got a really good scheme, clear identity, when you have those things, you can do something pretty good. That's what they've done. 

Other quarterbacks ranked ahead of Levis on the list are former Auburn, now Oregon QB Bo Nix, LSU's Jayden Daniels and Oklahoma's Dillon Gabriel. 

Where should Levis have been ranked? 

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Want the latest on national football and basketball recruiting, including Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the latest news, blogs, and updates about the nation's best prospects.

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