Around this time final yr, Will Levis’ title was not solely being introduced as much as be the primary QB taken within the 2023 NFL Draft, however within the 2022 NFL Draft as nicely. The senior QB for the Kentucky Wildcats threw for two,826 passing yards and 24 touchdowns as Kentucky received 10 video games, together with their bowl victory over Iowa.
Levis returned to high school, and halfway by means of the yr his Wildcats are spiraling. After dropping to Vanderbilt at residence, Kentucky is all of the sudden beneath .500 within the SEC and Levis’ play has been underwhelming to say the least. Despite this, Levis’ title continues to be being introduced up not solely as a primary spherical decide, however probably the primary QB off the board within the 2023 draft. The thirty third Team has him ranked because the sixth finest prospect and the primary ranked QB, with thirty third Team consultant TJ McCreight excessive on his capacity to get hit and decide himself again up.
Despite his struggles this season, many in league circles stay excessive on QB Will Levis as a prospect
Former professional personnel government @NFLTJ25 on what he is heard concerning the @UKFootball product and what may contribute to him being the primary quarterback off the board
— The thirty third Team (@Thethirty thirdTeamFB) November 18, 2022
Is Will Levis actually price a excessive decide, or is primed to be one other QB taken close to the highest of the draft who finally disappoints the staff that selects him? Let’s dive into what we’ve seen from Levis this season.
What was misplaced within the offseason
The largest individual for Will Levis’ improvement that was misplaced within the offseason is former offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Coen got here from the Los Angeles Rams (the place he returned to be the offensive coordinator within the offseason) and helped set up a professional model offense similar to McVay’s Rams offense with a number of movement and play motion. Last yr, in accordance with Sports Information Solutions, Kentucky used play motion on 37 p.c of their dropbacks. This yr, that quantity has dropped to 26 p.c. Despite changing Coen with Rich Scangarello, who comes from the San Francisco 49ers, the offense hasn’t clicked the identical in any respect.
The subsequent downside Levis encountered is twofold. Former offensive line coach Eric Wolford is now at Alabama, and an offensive line that was a power misplaced their coach and a number of gamers to the NFL corresponding to Darian Kinnard and Luke Fortner. Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops changed him with Zach Yenser and a number of new starters on the road. Add within the lack of receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, and you’ve got a supporting forged that merely doesn’t have as a lot as final season because the QB adjusts to a brand new system.
Despite this, we will nonetheless determine what Levis is and what he isn’t. We perceive what’s been misplaced and what he’s working with, so let’s see what he’s doing.
Will Levis scouting report: What Kentucky QB does nicely
Levis is an enormous, robust passer listed at 6’3 and 232 kilos. Levis has a robust arm with an excellent launch, which unlocks ranges of the sphere misplaced earlier than for some offenses. He can hearth the ball into home windows that have been closed to most QBs, however together with his arm expertise he could make these throws.
Look on the arm expertise from this throw by Will Levis. It’s roughly 44.5 yards and took roughly 1.88s to land from the purpose of launch. That is roughly 23.7 yards per second. pic.twitter.com/3md4l8I4Kq
— FBIntellect (@FootballIntell4) November 19, 2022
Where Will Levis excels is within the play motion sport. On the play motion dropbacks he has this season, his EPA per try is larger than it was even final yr. Levis an excellent athlete who can throw on the transfer each methods with out dropping any RPMs on his passes, and may nonetheless get the ball to all three ranges of the sphere.
Will Levis 2021-2022
Levis ABSOLUTELY has all of the traits you search for and financial institution on to transition within the NFL.
Far from an ideal prospect and has lots to work on. But I prefer it man. (Doing AR15 Tmrw) pic.twitter.com/FXZ9OGc3EY
— IamMontyFetti ✊ (@4MR_Monty) November 12, 2022
I additionally suppose Will Levis is a bit of underrated as a runner. He’s not somebody you wish to design a gameplan round on the bottom, however the occasional pull on the zone learn or objective line run wouldn’t harm the staff. He’s an enormous dude, with some agility as nicely.
Will Levin scouting repot: Where Kentucky QB struggles
Without play motion, Will Levis is a very completely different QB.
Will Levis with and with out Play Action, 2021-2022
| Year | Completion Percentage with PA | Completion Percentage with out PA | On Target Throw Percentage W/O PA | On Target Throw Percentage With PA | EPA/att with PA | EPA/att w/o PA | Avg. Throw Depth w/o PA | Avg. Throw Depth with PA | TD’s with PA | TD’s w/o PA | INT’s with PA | INT’s w/o PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Completion Percentage with PA | Completion Percentage with out PA | On Target Throw Percentage W/O PA | On Target Throw Percentage With PA | EPA/att with PA | EPA/att w/o PA | Avg. Throw Depth w/o PA | Avg. Throw Depth with PA | TD’s with PA | TD’s w/o PA | INT’s with PA | INT’s w/o PA |
| 2021 | 67.60% | 64.80% | 74.00% | 76.30% | 0.13 | -0.04 | 7.8 | 10.9 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 8 |
| 2022 | 70.50% | 64.50% | 64.90% | 75.40% | 0.19 | -0.07 | 8.1 | 9.5 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 8 |
The advantages of utilizing play motion are it creates outlined home windows the place defenders are moved based mostly on the run motion. When Levis has to throw the ball with out defenders being moved based mostly on run motion, the processing slows down lots. His sack share has gone up since final yr, however even in 2021 his sack share goes larger when in non-play motion conditions. Levis continues to be studying find out how to get by means of progressions rapidly and on time, and his resolution making with out play motion is questionable.
Levis additionally tends to stare down his goal, creating a number of dangerous selections by not utilizing his eyes to control defenders. Working in a professional model offense has its professionals, however one among its cons is that the problems he’s experiencing in school may very nicely be points that also hang-out him on the subsequent degree. Levis can work NFL passing ideas when the learn is outlined for him and he’s instructed the place to go along with the ball, however as soon as the image appears a bit cloudier, he turns into a special QB.
Levis’ play has gotten worse beneath stress. According to SIS, his optimistic play share beneath stress in 2021 was 5 factors larger than it’s this yr, and his on the right track throw share dropped about 4 factors. Levis beneath stress has flashed good moments, but it surely’s a bit alarming that there’s a lot detrimental beneath stress.
So, now that we’ve listed the professionals and cons of Will Levis, let’s reply the query: what’s Will Levis?
What is Will Levis within the NFL Draft?
Will Levis is an enormous, bodily proficient QB who comes from a professional model system with a robust arm to succeed in all ranges of the sphere. However, he wants the image outlined for him within the passing sport or he makes a number of errors. Levis nonetheless wants time to determine the processing velocity of the NFL and enhance his accuracy beneath stress.
He’s not Josh Allen, and he’s not Justin Herbert. The improvement of Josh Allen is a one among one factor which may by no means occur once more within the NFL. I do suppose Levis can work within the NFL, however he isn’t a day one starter proper now.