2023 NFL Draft: Bryce Young, CJ Stroud Lead Updated Top 10 QB Rankings

QB4: Will Levis (Kentucky)

Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 229 pounds
DOB: 6-27-1999 (23 years old)
Good Stat: 54 total TDs
Bad Stat: 23 INTs; 24 turnover-worthy plays in 2 seasons w KEN

Will Levis was a Penn State Nittany Lion not long ago. He had a regular goal-line package but could not beat out incumbent starter Sean Clifford. After being used in a gadget role his first two seasons, Levis began looking around for a starting gig.

He found it in Lexington. Levis joined the Kentucky Wildcats, and the rest is history. With Liam Coen as offensive coordinator in 2021, Levis started showing signs of being a high draft pick. He took snaps under center and used heavy play action sets, something most college quarterbacks don’t experience until the NFL.

Levis failed to repeat this success the following season, but several changes to the roster and coaching staff are the cause. He lost multiple starters to the NFL, and play caller Liam Coen returned to the Rams, serving the same role under Sean McVay.

Rich Scangarello was tabbed as the next offensive coordinator for Kentucky, but he never quite got his feet under him. Levis started carrying more of the load and trying to single-handedly win games… which is a nearly impossible task in the SEC.

Levis’ numbers took a nosedive, and a nagging lower-body injury limited his ability to create and improvise as plays broke down. Still, the tape he put up with the Wildcats is NFL quality, and the traits jump off the screen any time you watch.

At the NFL Draft Combine, Levis commanded the attention of the room. He dripped confidence and by the time he was done talking, I found myself believing everything he said. If Levis can somewhat win me over in 15 minutes, imagine what he can do in an hour-long interview with prospective teams.

The on-field drills and his tape were uncannily familiar. Levis has more than enough arm strength to hit every level of the field, and his release is free and easy. However, much like his tape, there were lapses in accuracy and footwork. He failed to keep a wide base and struggled mightily on timing routes.

Levis’ success in the league will come down to two factors: how high he is drafted and how patient his franchise is with him. If Levis goes top five, there’s a certain set of expectations that come with that. He is not the type of quarterback to carry the team to victory week in and week out, at least not yet.

Ideally, Levis wins the starting gig as a rookie, but he should not be forced into the lineup just for the sake of it. He turns 24 this summer, which is older than the names ahead of him on this list, but age is not enough to keep Levis from going on day one.

He grades out as an early day two player on my board due to my concerns with his ‘hero ball’ mentality. Assuming a coach can eliminate the bone-headed plays, or at least limit them, Levis will be a starter and potentially a great one.

NFL Draft Grade: Early Day Two