QB, Kentucky
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 232 lbs
Class: rs-Senior
Levis was listed as a three-star recruit and the No. 2 overall prospect in the state of Connecticut in the 2018 recruiting class. An academic standout in high school, five of his 25 offers came from Ivy League schools. Levis chose instead to commit to Penn State, where he spent three seasons as the backup quarterback.
Levis entered the transfer portal ahead of the 2021 season and committed to Kentucky. In his first season he helped lead the team to a bowl game, scoring 33 total touchdowns. He finished his Kentucky career win 17 wins, the second-most by a Wildcats quarterback since 1993.
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Strengths
What makes Levis such an enticing prospect is his collection of physical traits. He possesses outstanding arm strength, with the ability to effortlessly work every level of the field. He has shown the ability to make some incredible tight window throws too, with velocity that very few other quarterbacks can match. Levis also has the requisite confidence to maximise this potential and is willing to take chances downfield if defenses give him a favourable look. The fact he can do so without needing to set his feet makes it all the more impressive.
Levis also offers a good athletic profile that you don’t often see in a player of his size. He is quick in short areas and capable of hoovering up yardage with his legs. This saw him have plenty of success as a runner, with 635 yards and 11 touchdowns during his two years at Kentucky. He is particularly impactful in short yardage and goal line scenarios, where he is able to utilise his large frame to fight through contact and churn out extra yardage.
Levis’ athletic ability also makes him one of the more deadly quarterback prospects outside the pocket. He is comfortable passing the football from a variety of platforms and doesn’t need to set his feet to generate a tonne of velocity. Kentucky employed a lot of boot action and rollouts to maximise Levis’ mobility and he will cause plenty of problems for defenses outside of structure thanks to his ability to win with both his arm and his legs.
Teams are also going to love Levis’ toughness. He seemingly has no fear when he is on the field and that shows up most noticeably within the pocket. Levis’ willingness to stand in under pressure is hugely impressive and that projects well to the next level. He did not have a good offensive line in 2022 but he nevertheless seemed willing to take a big hit if it allowed him to make a big throw.
Weaknesses
There is a lot to like about Levis’ game, but there are some noticeable areas for improvement. For starters there is his decision making. Kentucky gave Levis a lot of simple throws, but when he was asked to operate from the pocket and work through his progressions the results were mixed. He has a habit of locking into his initial read and forcing the football when he shouldn’t. His internal clock is also a little slow, which means he is often late in delivering the football. This sometimes resulted in his receivers taking hits and allowed smarter defenders to get their hands on the football.
Whilst Levis will earn deserved praise for his toughness in the pocket, he doesn’t quite have the poise you want from a quarterback. His feel for pressure can sometimes border on obliviousness. He also struggles to smartly navigate congested spaces and has a habit of dropping his eyes when bigger opportunities are potentially open downfield. This lack of poise also saw him take a sack on a concerning 26.8% of his pressured dropbacks.
Bottom Line
Levis’ arm strength and athleticism are certainly intriguing, and it is fair to say his situation at Kentucky was less than ideal. That said, the tape leaves a lot to be desired and his poor processing speed and lacklustre poise set alarm bells ringing. The upside is there, but gambling on a 24 year old developmental rookie won’t be for everyone.
Ideal role: Quarterback in a vertical passing offense
Round projection: 2nd round
