For the first time in recent memory, the quarterback position is not a mystery for Kentucky as a new season draws near.

Will Levis has established himself as one of the top signal callers in the SEC and has generated national buzz as a potential first-round pick in next year's NFL Draft if he has another big season with the Wildcats.

A major piece to that equation will be the players Levis targets in the passing game, a topic that was emphasized as UK head coach Mark Stoops took his turn on the podium Wednesday at SEC Media Days in Atlanta.

"We have to have some play-makers step up at the wide receiver position," Stoops said when asked about his biggest question entering the season, "because we have a beast of a quarterback."

Levis is coming off a junior season which saw him pass for 2,593 yards and 23 touchdowns, but the receiver who accounted for 44% of his completions and 55% of his yardage -- Wan'Dale Robinson -- was drafted by the New York Giants this spring.

The Cats must find a way to replace some of that hefty production if they want to build on last year's 10-win, Citrus Bowl season.

"We have to get some play-makers to step up and compete," Stoops said. "... We have to take it to another level."

Kentucky's top three pass-catchers have all departed. In addition to the record-setting Robinson, the Cats also said goodbye to veteran wideout Josh Ali and reliable tight end Justin Rigg.

They are not, however, without promising options.

Tayvion Robinson joined the program this spring as a transfer from Virginia Tech with proven numbers at the P5 level. He comes to Lexington after catching 113 passes for 1,555 yards and nine touchdowns in three seasons with the Hokies.

His numbers may appear modest on the surface, but one must consider that Wan'Dale Robinson had similar productivity at Nebraska (91 receptions, 914 yards, 3 TDs) prior to his transfer to UK.

Players like Tae Tae Crumes, DeMarcus Harris, Rahsaan Lewis, Chris Lewis, and Chancey Magwood have multiple years in the program and could also be poised to break out. But it's the young talent that has Big Blue Nation buzzing.

Freshman Dane Key had a big spring after enrolling early from Lexington's Frederick Douglass High School. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound legacy recruit is rumored to be among the starters on the depth chart when fall camp opens.

"We're fortunate one of the young guys came in spring so we had the opportunity to watch him," Stoops said of Key. "He's a special young man, definitely an impact player. You could see right away he has the mindset that he could pick things up."

Fellow freshman Barion Brown was one of UK's top signees in the 2022 class out of Nashville, Tenn. He drew strong reviews from Stoops on Wednesday.

"Barion has all the tools," the UK boss said. "Super excited about him. Was talking with Will on the plane coming down here, discussing a little bit. Will mentioned it right away, how special Barion is with the ball in his hands. He can do some special things, has a lot of juice.

"We really got to get him caught up. He just got on campus a couple weeks ago. Need to get him plugged in, get the ball in his hands, because he's a total play-maker. We're very excited about that."

A player in a similar mold, Dekel Crowdus, will also be returning after an injury forced him to redshirt last season. The explosive athlete teamed with Key at Douglass to form one of the better wide receiver tandems in the country at the high school level.

"We feel, as a group, we're probably as talented as we have been in a long time," Stoops said.