Will Levis NFL Draft Overview
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6′-3″
Weight: 232 pounds
School: University of Kentucky
2023 NFL Draft: Will Levis Scouting Report
Will Levis is an intriguing quarterback prospect from the University of Kentucky. Levis arrived in Lexington after transferring from Penn State where he briefly started for one season. The change in scenery was a breath of fresh air as the Wildcats signal caller threw for 5232 yards with 43 touchdowns in two years. Levis possess many qualities that NFL scouts and professional evaluators covet. He was a three-year starter in the Big Ten and SEC conferences, had a 2-1 touchdown to interception ratio, completed 60% of his passes, and has an absolute howitzer of an arm. The consensus remains that Levis is a top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Strengths
- Elite arm strength;
- Ideal size for NFL QB that can take a hit;
- Solid runner;
- Can deliver a good ball when under duress;
- Twitchy in the pocket;
- Played in Pro-Style system at UK;
- Intelligent.
Weaknesses
- Has accuracy issues;
- Lacks touch in critical moments;
- Tries to be Superman at times and forces throws.
NFL Comparison: Lesser version of Ben Roethlisberger and Josh Allen
Teams With Need At Position: Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders
Projection: Top-10 Pick
Bottom Line on Will Levis
The elite arm strength of Levis will mask some underlying warts that may give some NFL teams pause. When analyzing the tape of Levis, he shined brightest in 2021 under Liam Coen who also ran a pro-style NFL offense.
I thought Will Levis made some great throws against Georgia in ‘21. Mind you, this is a defense that has Top 64 picks across the board. Levis did was impressive stuff in this game. pic.twitter.com/czf7fzY5zM
— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) January 16, 2023
Even though Levis excels in certain moments, he must be much more consistent at the NFL level. The stats for Levis against the Power Five conferences are a mixed bag that will be heavily scrutinized in the evaluation process. His overall PFF passing grade against the P5 was 61.2 with 179.4 yards passing per game and a completion percentage of 62.2. These numbers were coupled with 10 touchdowns against seven interceptions with five big-time throws and seven turnover-worthy plays.
Levis truly is the definition of feast or famine at the quarterback position. In one moment, he will make a throw that makes your jaw drop, only to follow it up with a play that leaves you scratching your head in disbelief. The team that drafts Levis will expect him to play from the jump with early dividends to be paid. The hope is that the learning curve will be diminished based on the style of offense he orchestrated in college. Levis, with time and experience, may develop a similar style of play to Josh Allen and be a top-tier quarterback down the road.
*Stats and research courtesy of ESPN.com and Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Main Photo: Jordan Prather – USA TODAY Sports
