2023 NFL Draft grades: Titans stop Will Levis' free fall by trading up to pick Kentucky QB at No. 33
Everything you need to know about Tennessee's new quarterback
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3 min read
The Tennessee Titans did not draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, opting to select offensive lineman Peter Skoronski at No. 11 overall. In the second round, however, they swung a trade with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 33 overall to take their prospective quarterback of the future in Kentucky's Will Levis.
Levis surprisingly fell out of the first round after being mocked by some as high as No. 1 overall. A three-star recruit out of Xavier High School in Connecticut, Levis played sparingly in two seasons at Penn State before establishing himself as a top NFL Draft prospect at Kentucky in 2021. He diced up SEC defenses with his arm and his legs, throwing for 2,827 yards and 24 touchdowns while running for nine more scores. While he didn't have as much success this past season -- a porous offensive line, lackluster offensive weapons and several injuries were each contributing factors -- he has a skill set that should translate well to the professional ranks.
Reports indicated some teams were concerned about Levis having a lingering toe injury. Levis told reporters after being selected that his fall in the draft is not going to change his work ethic. He admitted he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, but he was going to work hard regardless of where he got picked, per CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones.
Current Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has just one year remaining on his contract, so Levis could sit under the veteran for a year. That's not a guarantee, however, as there's plenty of offseason left for new general manager Ran Carthon to survey his options. Levis has potential. Now, it's up for the Titans staff to develop him.
Below is a comprehensive draft profile for Levis, including his scouting report, prospect ranking, pro comparison, combine results, college and high school accolades and overall NFL outlook.
NFL Draft grade: A-
"Trade up for QB, just at the start of Round 2. Cheaper than doing it in Round 1. Levis needs to improve decision-making, footwork and accuracy, but he has a strong arm and will be a running threat at the next level. Positional value boosts this grade. Grade: - Chris Trapasso
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Will Levis draft profile
- Age: 23
- Hometown: Madison, Connecticut
- Interesting fact: Known to sometimes put mayonnaise in his coffee (watch)
- CBS Sports prospect ranking: No. 18 overall | No. 4 QB | 89.37 rating (Long-term starter)
NFL Combine measurements/results
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 229 lbs | Arms: 32" | Hands: 10 5/8"
- 40-yard dash: N/A
- Broad jump: 10 feet, 4 inches
- Vertical jump: 34 inches
NFL comparison - Wyoming Josh Allen
Scouting report
Will Levis is a tall quarterback with good mass to take on contact. The Penn State transfer has good mobility and does not shy away from contact. Levis has elite arm strength but often gets stuck on his first read and does not complete full-field progressions. Talent evaluators will have to determine how much of his struggles were related to a weak supporting cast, injury, etc., and what is fixable. He is an intelligent player who will compete through injury.
Strengths
- Great mobility relative to his size
- Elite arm strength
- Great size for the position
- Exposure to a pro-style offense
- Tough, will play through injury
Weaknesses
- Battled injury through the 2022 season
- Gets stuck on his first read occasionally
- Subpar production as a senior, did not elevate his team
- Needs to get through full-field reads quicker
College stats, accolades
Passing
| Year | Games | Completion % | Yards | TDs | INTs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 (Kentucky) | 11 | 65.4 | 2,406 | 19 | 10 |
| 2021 (Kentucky) | 13 | 66.0 | 2,827 | 24 | 13 |
| 2020 (Penn State) | 8 | 60.0 | 421 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 (Penn State) | 7 | 59.6 | 223 | 2 | 2 |
Rushing
| Year | Games | Attempts | Yards | Y/A | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 (Kentucky) | 11 | 72 | -107 | -1.5 | 2 |
| 2021 (Kentucky) | 13 | 107 | 376 | 3.5 | 9 |
| 2020 (Penn State) | 8 | 82 | 260 | 3.2 | 3 |
| 2019 (Penn State) | 7 | 51 | 213 | 4.2 | 3 |
Honors
- 2021: Two-time FBS National Offensive Player of the Week
- 2021: Two-time Manning Award Quarterback of the Week
Notable statistics
- Career: Fourth in program history in 300-yard passing games (six), fifth in touchdown passes (43) and sixth in passing yards (5,233)
- Career: Sixth-most pass yds (5,218) and TD (43) in SEC in past two seasons
- 2021: Seventh player in school history to reach 3,000 yards of total offense in a season
- 2021: Most passing TDs (24) in single season since 2007
- 2021: Only Kentucky QB to have two games in a season of three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns
- 2021: First Kentucky QB with at least 15 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns in one season since 2003
247Sports profile
High school: Xavier (Middletown, Connecticut)
Class: 2018
Composite Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0.8689)
- National: 652 | Pro-style QB: 28 | Connecticut: 2
High school accolades: Offensive Player of the Year (Hartford Courant), second-team Walter Camp All-Connecticut
Check out Will Levis' full 247Sports profile, here. For his MaxPreps profile, click here.
