I enjoy mayonnaise just as much as the next guy but what Will Levis puts in his coffee deserves to be a crime. Putting mayonnaise in coffee is disgusting and disrespectful to every coffee drinker in the entire world. Everyone has awful food takes so we are going to move past this and talk about Levis as a quarterback. The former Penn State quarterback transferred to Kentucky and started every game for the Wildcats last season. Levis is being hyped up as one of the best quarterbacks for the 2023 NFL Draft but questions still remain about his skill set. Today’s 99 Things will focus on Levis and what he needs to improve in order to live up to the hype for this season.
By most accounts many fans would consider Levis 2021 season as average or slightly above average. He finished 47th in passing yards, 30th in touchdowns and 18th in adjusted QB rating. Levis completed 66% of his passes which is good but not eye popping. He only topped 300 yards in three games and averaged just 217 passing yards per game. He threw at least one interception in 10 of the 13 games last season. Levis did show his ability to run the ball by rushing for 376 yards and nine touchdowns. So why is everyone so high on Will Levis? Everything in his statistics shows he is an average quarterback at a good program.
Anyone who follows the NFL knows scouts love their prototypical size. Levis is 6’4″ and 230 pounds providing a large frame. He has a strong arm and solid mechanics. Teams are not looking for project quarterbacks in the first round. Quarterbacks with certain intangibles have been known to go in the first round over more accomplished players (See Locker, Jake). Levis also has proven running ability which teams have started to consider a necessity. Speculation exists believing Levis will run his 40 yard dash in the 4.6 second range.
Many of the current mock drafts are based upon projections and improvements players will make this fall. Levis must improve his field vision in order to live up to the first round hype. He struggles at times to anticipate when his receivers will become open and where the defenders will be. His inability to anticipate defender’s actions have resulted in numerous turnovers and left his team in tough situations. Levis also needs to work on going through his progressions. He has a tendency to stick with his number one option even if they are not open rather than moving to his second and third read.
The Kentucky schedule is favorable this year but still should give Levis plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents and improvements. The Wildcats non-conference games include Youngstown State, Northern Illinois, Miami (OH) and Louisville (A non-conference schedule striking fear into the fan base). Kentucky’s SEC schedule is highlighted with a visit from Georgia on November 19th. Eyes will be on Levis to see how he fares against a talented Bulldog defense. A good game against Georgia could vault him up draft boards and solidify his stock as a first round pick. Kentucky is likely to win at least eight games this fall but reaching double digit wins would only help in the NFL draft.
