Expect Will Levis to Look Overwhelmed in the NFL

While Will Levis showed some improvement this season, his game film exposed major concerns heading into the 2023 NFL Draft.

He showed a better deep ball and he did a better job going through his progressions initially.

However, the same issues that showed up in 2021, “Will Levis Is Overrated,” showed up again in 2022.

Levis is a bust waiting to happen if any team selects him in the first-round.

What are the talking points on Levis?

1. Tunnel vision

The more I watched, the clearer it became on his 2022 game film.

Levis has tunnel vision.

It showed up against Florida on an open side steamrolling blitz he didn’t see coming.

It showed up again against Mississippi State. Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. was sitting on a screen that he turned into a pick-six and Levis didn’t even see him.

In the Tennessee game, Levis failed to see another defensive back who deflected his pass on a tight-end crossing route.

Levis was so dialed into his receivers downfield, he didn’t feel the pass rush. He was so locked in, he tended not to see defensive backs drifting around and baiting him in coverage.

2. Tentative in the pocket

This struck me right out of the gates against Florida.

Levis tends to hold the ball too long in the pocket. He’s inconsistent going through his progressions, but even when he does, he takes an obvious extra moment (or two) before throwing.

During this time, he hard stares receivers like two people at a bar who like each other .

This will be a serious problem in the NFL.

3. Erratic ball placement

The timing looks off on his routes to begin with, which causes ball placement issues at all three route levels (short, medium and deep).

Despite improvement throwing deep, his receivers still needed to adjust to his passes.

Ball placement is not the same as the completion percentage. It’s the ability for quarterbacks to put the ball where receivers can run through the catches and pick up additional yardage after receptions.

Levis does not put his receivers in ideal position often to do that. He shows a tendency to hang his receivers out to dry with passes that sail high, or he will sometimes throw it low forcing them to dive.

He can overthrow too.

His college career touchdown-to-interception ratio (46-25) provides further evidence.

4. Game film doesn’t lie

Any team in the NFL who is considering selecting Levis, owes it to their owner, their team and their team’s fanbase to turn on the Kentucky vs. Tennessee game (embedded below).

Levis looked overwhelmed against No. 3 Tennessee.

It got to the point, he was reduced to throwing screen passes and handing the ball off in a stifling 44-6 loss.

Tennessee showed they studied the game film.

My question is, if Levis looked this overwhelmed against the Volunteers, what will he look like against the defenses of the 49ers, Eagles and Bills?

#7 Will Levis 6-foot-3, 232 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2023 NFL Draft Grade: Seventh-Round (I would not select him)

First Round Mock Big Board: TBD

Bust Probability: High

Projected by 89.0% (up from 77.0% on September 11) of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of December 30, 2022 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2022 game film reviewed: Florida, Mississippi State and Tennessee (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

Level of competition: High

2021 stats: 233/353 (66.0%) 2,826 yards (8.0 avg.), 24 TD, 13 INT., 22 sacks

2022 stats: 185/283 (65.4%) 2,406 yards (8.5 avg.), 19 TD, 10 INT., 36 sacks

NFL comparable: Heath Shuler

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report:

Erratic pro-style quarterback with decent arm strength and limited mobility. Leads with an inconsistent tempo and rhythm. Looks the part setting up and displayed smooth ball handing skills. Sitting duck in the pocket who is a three yards and a cloud of dust runner. Can show serious hesitation throwing and displayed a consistent tendency to lock in with his targets. Ball placement is all over the road and he is inconsistent throwing touch passes. Best in the short range throwing screens and shallow routes. Most effective routes include breakpoints. Improved deep. In a league where quick releases and being on point with downfield ball placement spells success, his game doesn’t translate.

Final words

Levis is this year’s Zach Wilson and Kenny Pickett – – and he has a 100% chance of being a bust in the NFL.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated New York Jets and he is the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.