Thread by @Landon3MR

Let’s get in to 1 of the 2 most enigmatic QB prospects in this draft class. Kentucky’s Will Levis. Before we start let’s go a little bit into the background of the player. This is going to be a long thread with lots of video so get comfortable!

#NFLDraft

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Levis started as a RS Freshman at Penn State, spending 2 years behind starter Sean Clifford. Used mostly as a “Wildcat” QB (fitting for his future) he lacked development as a passer. After once again being relegated to a backup role he decided to transfer to UK.

While at UK he saw much more development as a passer within former LA Rams assistant Liam Coen’s pro style west coast offense during his 1st year. In his 2nd season, Coen left to once again join the Rams as an OC. Rich Scangarello joined the staff as the new UK OC for 2022.

To borrow from The Commodores, he can essentially be described as a “brick house”.

23 years old
6’3”
235lbs
10 1/2 inch hands
Athletic and muscular frame
Elite arm talent

He’s essentially the prototype for the new age QB the NFL is salivating over.

Now we get into the breakdown of what makes him such a sought after prospect by the NFL…and what makes him such a controversial player in the eyes of fans and the internet.

Let’s start with the good:

This showcases the arm talent. Would like to see him set his feet and deliver but the ability to drift left and throw this on a rope from 32-32 is some damn impressive stuff. He can reach every blade of grass on a field whether he’s on platform or off platform.

Here we see shoulder manipulation, attacking a DB. Holding him for just a second and delivering an absolute strike into a tight window in the red zone for a TD. His quick release combined with hip/shoulder torque generated means that no window too small for him to hit.

Another play that looks simple but has some great little points. Wide base = accuracy, gets to his 3rd read, uses shoulder manipulation to hold the LBer and allow his RB to have space to pick up chunk yards. That manipulation of the LBer is rare to see in a college QB.

This is something he can be inconsistent on but a lot of that is due to a reason I touch on soon. When he gets his base underneath him he can make some impressive touch throws. This back shoulder throw is basically impossible to defend against.

And then you get stuff like this which you just can’t teach. The accuracy, touch, arm talent, pocket movement all come together here to make one of the most impressive throws I’ve seen any QB make.

Now let’s get into some of the bad habits he has. Most of these are coachable and can be cleaned up. Remember he’s only 2 years into development as a passer so he’s still raw.

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He consistently locks on to his first read in the progression. Even when it’s not there he believe he has the arm to make every throw. It can cause turnover issues. Would love to see him slow down and sometimes just throw it into the 2nd row.

Another example of just believing in his arm too much. Most of the time he will make a play, but learning when to pick and choose his spots will help. You see this even in the NFL. Guys like Brett Favre and Josh Allen all carry this trait.

He can be late to his reads and lack anticipation on throws, especially outside of the hash marks. Here we see the infamous 2022 TN game I’m sure I’ll hear a lot about in the comments.

Let’s look at the “WHY”, though. When I evaluate QBs and some of the bad plays I want to know why he’s making bad decisions, bad throws, etc. Is he pressing? Is too much on his plate? Is he getting adequate help from the coaching staff? These are all ? Levis experienced in 2022.

Saddled with 3 freshman WRs, PFF’s 66th ranked offensive line in the nation, and his 3rd different OC in 3 years, it’s easy to see why he struggled. This isn’t an excuse but it does provide a clearer picture into the situation he dealt with. Let’s check it out.

These are numerous examples from a few games into what he dealt with all season long. Drops and massive pressure. Under the circumstances it’s hard to see most QBs succeeding in this scenario.

In 2022 he was saddled with a predictable scheme that hid his talents far too often and put him in multiple bad positions. Constant screens, 3rd and longs, etc. OC Rich Scangarello was recently fired after his only season as UK’s playcaller. Let look into how this hurt his QB.

Here were 3 passing plays in a row in one sequence. All 3 WR screens. By the 3rd the defense had sniffed it out and ended up being a pick 6 on the QB’s resume. Textbook example of not helping your single caller.

One of the stronger parts of Will Levis can’t be measured on the field. It’s in the locker room and off of it. He’s a passionate leader who teammates gravitate to. He loves to be coached hard. Tireless work ethic. He holds himself and others accountable.

There is much more we can go through but the point is that it’s easy to see why the NFL is high on him. It’s also easy to see why most fans don’t understand why when you’re simply looking at his stats. Hopefully this thread shined a light on some of those reasons.

I think with the right coaching staff and franchise he has a chance to build on his limited experience as a passer and his personality will transform a locker room lacking a leader at the QB position. I look forward to following what I think will be a fun career!