2023 Dynasty Rookie Early Look: Will Levis, QB Kentucky

Rob Willette

The dynasty off-season is the perfect opportunity to fire off hot takes which could turn Siberia into a tropical paradise. No position has as many polarizing prospects as quarterback, and few quarterbacks provoke a passionate response like Will Levis does. Big draft media seems to love him. The average college football fan finds his NFL prospects lukewarm at best. Who will prove right? Check back in five years.

Despite the vast range of opinions, the pros and cons for Levis are fairly easy to identify. His draft profile – as shown below – is fairly straightforward.

RECRUITMENT

Levis was not a major recruit by national standards. He checked in as a three-star Composite; the 28th-ranked quarterback in the 2018 recruiting class. He committed to Penn State all the way back in 2017.

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Courtesy of 247 Sports.

Beyond Penn State, Levis’ notable offers were from Florida State, Ole Miss, Iowa, North Carolina and Cincinnati. He actually committed to James Franklin on the same day an offer was extended following a summer camp hosted by the Nittany Lions. Despite being a well-respected talent, Levis was buried by his peers in the same recruiting class. The 2018 Penn State recruiting class brought in Micah Parsons, Jahan Dotson, Odafe Oweh and Pat Freiermuth, among others. In hindsight, it was an outstanding haul.

COLLEGIATE CAREER

Nothing about Levis’ career in Happy Valley was prolific, though much of his tenure was outside of his control. The Nittany Lions employed him as a change-of-pace quarterback, and he left the program with more rushing attempts than passing attempts (133 versus 102). While Levis has mobility, it makes little sense to use him as a short-yardage back as it does not play to his strengths.

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Courtesy of Sports Reference.

It made sense for Levis to move on. The Penn State staff had shown a preference for Sean Clifford and there was little reason for Levis to stay after three years on campus. He was immediately inserted as the starter at Kentucky and acquitted himself well, building buzz as a 2023 first-round selection following a strong campaign in 2021. He spurned the 2022 draft and returned for his fifth year in school, improving his efficiency while having fewer attempts. Kentucky has always had a competitive defense under Mark Stoops yet needed a bigger talent under center to really help the program take a step forward. Levis and Kentucky were a good match, notching ten wins in 2021 as they worked their way to the Citrus Bowl.

ATHLETIC PROFILE

From an athletic part, Levis looks the part. He stands at 6’3” and is a sturdy 231 pounds. If the sun is out, his guns are out, as he has been doing curls for the girls since birth.

He figures to test well for the position. He is not going to be one of the game’s premier rushing quarterbacks, but he can add value with his legs and has the mobility to navigate the pocket. His athletic prowess is the least worrisome aspect of his profile.

STRENGTHS

  • Howitzer attached to his right shoulder
  • Prototypical frame which can handle the physical rigors of the NFL
  • High-end competitor both in the pocket and as a runner in the open field

WEAKNESSES

  • Never a dominant performer at the college level
  • He can be slow to read the coverage and misses opportunities
  • Still mastering touch versus velocity

DRAFT VALUE

Levis appears locked in to round one with many also feeling the top overall pick is well within the range of outcomes.

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Courtesy of NFL Mock Draft Database.

With so many teams near the top of the draft needing quarterback help, the top ten should be where Levis finds his home. Within the top ten, the Texans, Colts, Raiders and Panthers are desperate for quarterback help while the Seahawks and Lions could also dabble in the market. The supply simply does not match the demand, which bodes well for Levis flying off the board early.

DYNASTY OUTLOOK

We are confident Levis will get draft capital and every opportunity to perform. This is a big point in his favor. We do not need to worry about depth chart issues.

I am also confident Levis will put in the requisite work to become the best version of himself. By all accounts, he is a hard worker and on the field he competes as hard as anyone. Some highly drafted prospects have washed out due to lacking the maturity (at least early in their careers) to survive in a ruthless sport.

I am reticent Levis’ results will match his hype and his tools. He can be inconsistent as a passer and while Kentucky lacked elite weaponry during his time in Lexington, he never seemed to elevate those talents consistently. He is generally not my preferred profile in a passer, which is why I strongly prefer both Bryce Young and CJ Stroud and will likely have Levis as a fade come rookie drafts. He is, however, a player with the requisite tools who will be drafted highly so I cannot drop him too much. I will just defer to my preferred talents in his draft range, though his current placement in DLF Rookie Ranks (26th overall, QB4 in one-QB and eighth overall, QB3 in superflex) are not unreasonable price points.

rob willette
2023 Dynasty Rookie Early Look: Will Levis, QB Kentucky