Mel Kiper says Will Levis has a “big-time NFL arm,” sees him as first-round pick

The Kentucky Wildcats have won four straight bowl games, and one of the reasons they had such a successful season last year was the play of quarterback Will Levis. The Wildcats beat the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Citrus Bowl.

Levis transferred to Kentucky from Penn State, and he immediately became a star in Lexington. He propelled the Cats to as high as No. 11 in the rankings, a spot they only have matched once since 2008.

The 6-foot-3 222-pound soon-to-be-senior threw for 2,826 passing yards as a junior at Kentucky and ran for 376. He spent two seasons at Penn State, throwing for under 700 yards.

Now, outside of Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young, Levis is among the top quarterback prospects in the NFL, and his dual-threat nature combined with his size is a huge reason why he’s being named among the best of the best in the 2023 NFL Draft.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. broke down just what makes Levis special and also noted what could be holding him back.

“Then you think about Will Levis from Kentucky. Will Levis has a big-time NFL arm. He’s also incredibly mobile for a big guy. He beat some teams with his legs and he’s a kind of guy that needs to cut down on the interceptions. 13 interceptions. There weren’t many games, but three games, where he didn’t throw an interception. He’s got to clean that up. But also in the pocket, I think he (could) see the field, at times, a little bit better, but he had some impressive performances and he’s got that ‘wow’ arm talent. That’s gonna allow Will Levis the possibility to move up from where I have him right now at No. 22 on the big board,” Kiper said.

At ESPN, Kiper ranked Levis No. 22 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, adding this:

“Levis, who transferred to Kentucky from Penn State, made some “wow” throws last season. He has a powerful arm, though he needs to be more precise. He threw too many picks, trying to force a few too many into tight windows. Levis also can beat defenses with his legs; he had four rushing scores in the win over Louisville. Consistency is an issue, but Levis’ traits are intriguing.”

Basically, Levis needs to cut down on his interceptions and be able to see multiple reads a bit quicker. Nonetheless, they are correctable issues for the quarterback who could, with ease, be a first-round pick.

The potential is there. He just needs to put in the work and get to that level.