Chris Rodriguez and Carrington Valentine, of Kentucky football, selected in 2023 NFL Draft

Quarterback Will Levis was the first University of Kentucky football player to find a new home during the three-day 2023 NFL Draft that began Thursday night. He went to the Tennessee Titans in the second round Friday with the No. 33 overall pick.

It marked the fifth straight year at least one Wildcat has been drafted, and the seventh time since coach Mark Stoops' first season at Kentucky in 2013. The 2017 and 2018 drafts are the only years UK didn't have a player selected during Stoops' tenure.

On Saturday, two more UK players were taken: running back Chris Rodriguez by the Washington Commanders in the sixth round, and cornerback Carrington Valentine by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh.

Following the draft, offensive lineman Tashawn Manning, linebacker DeAndre Square and defensive back Keidron Smith signed undrafted free agent contracts, while linebackers Jacquez Jones and Jordan Wright, defensive back Tyrell Ajian and punter Colin Goodfellow received rookie minicamp invites.

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QB Will Levis, Tennessee Titans

Round/overall pick: Second, 33rd overall

Levis posted a 17-7 record in two seasons as the Wildcats' starter and ranks among the program's top six all-time in both passing yards (5,233) and passing touchdowns (43).

His selection Friday made him the first former Wildcat QB picked in the draft since Andre Woodson in 2008 (New York Giants, sixth round, 198th overall).

Now, Levis will try to become the first former UK signal-caller to start an NFL game since Tim Couch in 2003. (Woodson never played in an NFL game; Jared Lorenzen made four appearances over the course of the 2006 and 2007 seasons for the New York Giants, but never started.) Levis joins a Tennessee club that has two quarterbacks — Ryan Tannehill and Malik Willis, who was drafted last year — already on the roster.

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'Exactly where I was meant to be': Will Levis goes No. 33 to Tennessee Titans in NFL draft

RB Chris Rodriguez, Washington Commanders

Round/overall pick: Sixth, 193rd overall

Rodriguez left Lexington with his name all over Kentucky's record book. He finished his career with 3,644 rushing yards, third most in program history behind Benny Snell (3,873) and Sonny Collins (3,835). Rodriguez's 32 rushing touchdowns ranked second to Snell's 48, while his 35 total touchdowns are fourth most among Wildcat players. He ran for 100 or more yards 20 times, a school record. Phil Steele named Rodriguez to the All-SEC third team after tallying 904 rushing yards and six touchdowns (on 175 carries) in eight games last season.

Washington's run game in 2022 ranked 21st in the league in total yards. It was led by Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson, who combined for 1,343 yards and five touchdowns on 354 carries.

Prior to Rodriguez, the last Wildcat running back taken in the NFL draft was Snell in 2019 (fourth round to Pittsburgh).

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CB Carrington Valentine, Green Bay Packers

Round/overall pick: Seventh, 232nd overall

A 6-foot, 193-pound Cincinnati native, Valentine was a mainstay in the UK secondary during his career, starting 24 of the team’s 25 games over the past two seasons. He excelled in coverage in 2022, leading the Wildcats in passes defended with 11 (10 pass breakups, one interception), a total that ranked ninth among SEC players. Valentine tallied 119 tackles (three for loss), two sacks, 16 pass breakups, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in three seasons in Lexington before electing to forgo his senior season to enter the draft.

Valentine is the first former UK defensive back selected in the draft since two Wildcats went off the board in 2019: Kelvin Joseph (second round to Dallas) and Brandin Echols (sixth round to the New York Jets).

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OL Tashawn Manning, Baltimore Ravens

Signed by: Baltimore Ravens, undrafted free agent

Manning’s inspirational story continues. According to multiple reports, Manning signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent after the draft concluded Saturday night. Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Manning's deal guarantees him $40,000: a $20,000 base salary and a $20,000 signing bonus. A native of Apopka, Florida, Manning was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia during his senior year of high school. In July 2016, he was declared cancer free.

Manning had to work to find his way onto the field in college, beginning his career at Auburn, where he redshirted as a freshman in 2017. After playing in just five games over the next two seasons, Manning started all 11 games for the Tigers in 2020. He appeared in 12 of Auburn’s 13 games in 2021 before transferring to Kentucky prior to last season. Manning was a fixture in UK’s lineup in 2022, starting 12 games at right guard; the only game he didn’t start (Youngstown State) was because he sat out with an injury.

LB DeAndre Square, Los Angeles Rams

Signed by: Los Angeles Rams, undrafted free agent

Square, a five-year letterwinner (2018-22) at UK, signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Los Angeles Rams Saturday night, according to Ryan Talbot, who covers the Bills for Syracuse.com. Square was a key piece of the defense the last four seasons, making 44 consecutive starts. He was a team captain the last three seasons, only the second Wildcat ever to achieve that honor — defensive end Josh Paschal, who served in the role from 2019 to 2021, is the other. Square recorded 302 tackles (22.5 for loss), 6.5 sacks, 15 quarterback hurries, seven pass breakups, three forced fumbles, three interceptions and one fumble recovery at Kentucky. Last season, he became the 20th player in school history to notch 300 or more tackles.

LB Jacquez Jones, Atlanta Falcons

What’s next: Invited to Atlanta Falcons rookie minicamp

Jones received an invite to the Atlanta Falcons’ rookie minicamp, according to Aaron Wilson, who covers the NFL for KPRC 2 Houston. Jones began his career at Ole Miss (2018-20) before playing for Kentucky the past two seasons. He finished his college career with 305 tackles, 182 with the Rebels and 123 with the Wildcats. During his five-year career, he played in 52 games with 38 starts. He started all 19 games he appeared in at UK, serving as a team captain last season. But the 2022 campaign didn't go the way he envisioned, missing six games with a left foot injury. Now, he'll look to prove to the Falcons that the injury is behind him.

DB Keidron Smith, Miami Dolphins

What’s next: Signed with Miami Dolphins as undrafted free agent

Smith, according to On3's Matt Zenitz, is set to sign with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent. He enters the NFL with extensive SEC experience: Spending four seasons at Ole Miss before joining Kentucky prior to the 2022 campaign. In those five seasons, Smith logged 41 starts in 60 games. He earned second-team All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches as well as Pro Football Focus last year after collecting 46 tackles (one for loss), five pass breakups, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Smith returned one of his interceptions for a touchdown, picking off Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson — the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft — and taking it 65 yards to the house.

LB Jordan Wright, Chicago Bears

What’s next: Invited to Chicago Bears rookie minicamp

Wright, who hails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, received an invite to the Chicago Bears' rookie minicamp. The Kentucky football program's official Twitter account announced the news. Wright played in 54 games with the Wildcats, earning 22 starts in six seasons. He had 168 tackles (25 for loss) to go along with 9.5 sacks, 15 pass breakups, 14 quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and two interceptions during his UK career. And Wright finished strong: After making just 12 starts from 2018 through 2021 (he redshirted in 2017), Wright was in the lineup 10 times last fall. He had 62 tackles in 2022, leading the Wildcats in both tackles for loss (9.5) and quarterback hurries (eight).

P Colin Goodfellow, Washington Commanders

What’s next: Invited to Washington Commanders rookie minicamp

Goodfellow practiced with the Wildcats for three seasons (2017 through 2019) before finally getting his chance to take the field. He ended his UK career appearing in 21 games from 2020 to 2022. The Wildcats' official Twitter account revealed Goodfellow received an invite to the Commanders' rookie minicamp, where he'll reunite with Rodriguez. Goodfellow attempted 77 punts at UK, averaging 44.3 yards per kick; that average is the third-best mark in school history.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Goodfellow had 32 punts for 1,328 yards (41.5 yards per attempt) in nine games last season. But his season, and college career, came to a premature end, when he suffered a knee injury in Kentucky's win at Missouri in November. The injury occurred with less than three minutes remaining in the game.

DB Tyrell Ajian, Pittsburgh Steelers

What’s next: Reportedly invited to Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp

More than a week after the draft ended, Ajian reportedly received an opportunity to prove himself in the pros. According to Ryan Fowler, an NFL and college football analyst for The Draft Network, Ajian will take part in the Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie minicamp. Ajian was with the Wildcats for six seasons, redshirting in 2017 and then taking advantage of the NCAA’s eligibility waiver in 2022. He made the most of his final season, starting 12 games at safety (missing the loss to Georgia with injury) and posting 31 tackles (1.5 for loss), three pass breakups and a sack. Ajian also forced a team-high two fumbles last season. He was a consensus four-star prospect out of Madison Comprehensive High in Mansfield, Ohio, playing quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky football in NFL draft 2023: Will Levis, Chris Rodriguez, more