Will Levis Officially Opts Out Of Kentucky's Pointless Bowl Game, Turns Focus To NFL Draft

Will Levis is officially turning all of his attention to the 2023 NFL Draft. The Kentucky quarterback announced on Wednesday that he's not only forgoing his final season of college eligibility but is opting out of playing in the Wildcats' upcoming Music City Bowl game against Iowa.

"To my teammates, UK staff members, Wildcat community, and BBN, I cannot thank you enough," Levis wrote in a statement on Twitter. "I'll forever be indebted to all those who I had the pleasure to cross paths with here, and my immense love for you will remain strong in my heart, forever."

Levis made his intentions to enter the NFL Draft clear on November 30 during a conversation on Twitter Spaces, but at the time had not decided whether or not he'd suit up for the Music City Bowl.

THE ULTIMATE COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL GUIDE: JIMMY KIMMEL BOWL? AND THE GUARANTEED (LOW RATINGS) BOWL? WHICH TO WATCH AND NOT

Will Levis Skipping Kentucky's Bowl Game Makes All The Sense

The Penn State transfer forgoing his final season in Lexington is no surprise. Every NFL Draft insider has Levis as a Top 3 quarterback in the 2023 class and a sure-thing first-round pick.

Levis skipping out on Kentucky's bowl game may upset some Wildcat fans out there, but it's a no-brainer business decision.

Levis battled injuries throughout the regular season. The 23-year-old playing in a pointless bowl game risking potential injury just months away from having his name called very early in the NFL Draft wouldn't make any sense whatsoever.

Levis' NFL Draft evaluation wouldn't change if he went out and earned Kentucky its eighth win of the season with a victory over a bad Iowa team in a meaningless bowl game. The same couldn't be said about his evaluation if he were to suffer an injury against the Hawkeyes.

Levis will finish his college career with 5,232 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions over the course of his two seasons as the Wildcats' starting quarterback.

Written by

Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.