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Sell Me on Levis as a First Round Pick

I don't watch NFL like I once did but it strikes me that Levis is an "investment QB". By that I mean he is not ready now but could be very good in a few years. But, if true, do you
draft such a player in the first round?

There is no question about his arm strength, physical size, etc. but, after playing in a run first offense, does he have the other necessary pro-QB skills? (pre-snap reads, drop quickness, overall field vision, ball handling/run fakes, etc.

No doubt he can "learn" such skills but coming from a "run first" college offense probably makes it more difficult than coming from a passing offense. JMO.

Peace
Funny because Todd McShay said what makes Levis more attractive is that he is th emost game ready QB in this draft, not just due to his skills, but because he is the only one that played in a pro system and he played in the Shannahan system, which is the most difficult in the NFL to master.
 
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I'll take a stab.

1. You stated "game from this year" but why not last year's film?
2. Last year Levis was super in Iowa game with 1/2 Oline a mess in front of him.
Last year Levis was in control of Tennessee game
Last year Levis was very solid vs. nations best D UGA....
Last year Levis was dominate in LSU (turns out they were not that good but at the time they were ranked)

In the end, Levis had a bad year in 2022 by my eye test but his 2021 was very promising. Can I lay all of this at feet of a terrible Oline and Scangerello.....maybe not all but it's not insane that Coen he flourished and Scangerello was a bad fit and his performance dips as a result.

So in the end, Levis has all kinds of natural gifts for NFL. Size, Arm strength...he even can make plays with his feet. Levis for sure is durable and can take pounding. (which is questionable for other QBs in this draft). Levis does have a tendency to be inaccurate at times which is a concern. But the kid did put it together in 2021 for quite a few games and in big moments (i.e. he didn't just rack up stats vs. scrubs and dissapear in big games).

I personally think he's lesser of a college QB than Stroud and Young....but Young has the body type that has zero pedigree of a successful NFL QB. Why teams even consider Anthony Richardson. The guys played 2 years and been a hot mess in most of the games he's played and 2 years of Florida losing 7 games in each of those 2 years.....that hardly ever happens at Florida.

So Levis is solidly a top 3 QB in this draft....and that alone is why he should be a first round pick
I would argue that Scangarello's offense wasn't a bad fit for Levis as much as it was hard for all those around him to pick it up and the offensive line was so bad to the point that Levis actually looked good in that he was able to finish the season standing up after the beating he took.
 
He's a first-round pick for a couple reasons.

First, 10-12 teams need a QB. They don't all need one exactly opening day next fall, but they all need a guy at least on deck developing to take over and potentially be the franchise within a couple years.

Second, prototype. The league is a prototype league with very few exceptions.

"There's lots of big guys with big arms who don't pan out"

Yeah, that can be said for the NFL. Most guys don't make it. However, you have to error on the side of who does make it.

Even though most QBs in a draft won't amount to much more than backups if they're lucky...most of the QBs who do make it, become franchise stabilizers, advance in playoffs, and play in super bowls...there's a pretty clear type...Will Levis fits that perfectly.

Ideally, he'd go somewhere he is able to develop for a season or two which means he slips a bit but sometimes that's a good thing for a QB.
 
Game winning drive against Iowa in the Bowl. This shows the potential that NFL teams need. Watch this again and you will get your answer.

Before you argue. Yes WanDale was awesome, but what Levis showed on that drive is exactly what you want in modern NFL - a big strong mobile QB who can deliver to play-makers in the clutch.

Hope Titans draft him or minimum he stays out of AFC.
 
Indianapolis currently holds the No. 4 overall pick. Early in the NFL Drafty process, Levis felt like the ideal fit in Indy. The deck was reshuffled by prognosticators following Anthony Richardson‘s outstanding NFL Combine, placing the former Florida Gator in mock drafts at No. 4 and sliding Levis further down the picking order.





 
3 comments:

1) Can Levis do more than Tim Couch did? Remember it was Couch and Akili Smith, and Smith didn't make it very far.
2) Levis looked real good to me vs Florida vs Richardson in Gainesville right? Along with that, I never saw Richardson improved while Levis played hurt and was limited IMO.
3) The Colts are enamored: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...p&cvid=bcdc32df01104fe4a1b7cfb2665a6983&ei=25

The first 4 picks incredibly might be QBs. That makes the next 4-5 teams below 4 get an impact player and their own version of an overall #1 pick.
 
I just don't see Levis as being worthy of a Top 10 pick. I've not seen him display the skill I'd want to see in order to draft him that high. I know he was injured this year and had O-Line issues. He obviously looks the part of the type of QB that all NFL Scouts and GMs love (Big, Tall, Muscular, Huge Arm, White, Etc), but I feel he's more of a "potential" type pick and I just don't see it.

Can someone please provide like a specific moment or piece of evidence from a game this year that convinced you he was really a Top 10 dude. I love the dude and wished we would have him back next year for one more year to develop, but as he is right now, I fear he's going to get some NFL GM fired.
I'm a huge Will Levis fan as a player and person and what he did for BBN. But I am a little concerned about some of his shortcomings going to the next level.

1. He's considered a "mobile" QB who can run but which is true but he is not an "elusive" runner and struggles to escape the pocket and is slow to do so. So while he is athletic and can run once he gets a lane, he is not going to see that much in the NFL where its much more important to be elusive than strong or fast to buy time to make plays.

2. He has a cannon of an arm but I'm one that puts that much farthre down the list of attributes of big time QBs. In the NFL it helps to have that gun on a few plays per game but in many more plays that those arm strenght is not needed and its much more important to be able to read the field and make plays on the fly with touch and on the move etc.

I'm not sure he has developed that skill yet as he's a little more limited to just being a pocket rocket thrower right now and that means to be successful with just that skill you have to have a lot go right on each play . . . WR gets open, protection hold up, and you read it right and make the perfect throw on time. With the speed of defensed today those opporutunities are less and less and you need playmaking ability.

The good news is Will is an athlete and an gamer and is more than capable of deveoping all of those attributes that Im talking about over time.
 
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Teams who want a QB.
1. Carolina
2. Houston
4. Indianapolis
7. Las Vegas
11. Tennessee
12. Houston if they pass at #2
16. Washington
19. Tampa Bay
 
I think Levis is going #3 to the Titans or Vikings. The Cardinals own a valuable asset in that #3 pick and do not need a QB.

I can't see a team trading up that high to take a flier on Richardson.
 
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Seems to me there is one NFL executive that really doesn’t like Levis for some reason

If a GM is under pressure to draft a sure thing 1st how can he not be a risk? He has everything physically a great qb has to have. But the mental things, progression, reading a defense, taking care of the ball has been his weaknesses. Can his next coach improve him in those areas is his question. If he can with his physical skills he is a multiple year starter and playoff contender every year. If he can't he will have a short NFL career. Above everything the QB has to protect the ball
 
If a GM is under pressure to draft a sure thing 1st how can he not be a risk? He has everything physically a great qb has to have. But the mental things, progression, reading a defense, taking care of the ball has been his weaknesses. Can his next coach improve him in those areas is his question. If he can with his physical skills he is a multiple year starter and playoff contender every year. If he can't he will have a short NFL career. Above everything the QB has to protect the ball
Idk I’m with you on the physicals maybe it’s actuals and outcomes ? Stats vs SEC competition ? NFL is a stats dynamics driven league with QB’s but look at the starter in SF ? Nobody knows how they translate 🍺
 
Idk I’m with you on the physicals maybe it’s actuals and outcomes ? Stats vs SEC competition ? NFL is a stats dynamics driven league with QB’s but look at the starter in SF ? Nobody knows how they translate 🍺

No doubt it's a different breed in the NFL. I believe the biggest bust potential is Bryce Young. He has some skills, but he doesn't have the it factor to make plays on 3rd down. I believe the stel of the draft will be Stetson Bennett as a 7th rounder. He didn't need to make many comebacks, but when he did he made plays. He has been doubted his entire career, me included, and all he does is win. He is bigger than young but his size hurts him, but not young?. Bryce and Bama fan wish he had Stetson's resume. Bryce has lost every important game he played at Bama, Stetson won every big game he started.
 
Seems to me there is one NFL executive that really doesn’t like Levis for some reason
I’d love for any expert to tell me how AR’s arm translates to the NFL but Levis’ doesn’t.
 
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I think Levis was always going to be the 3rd QB taken.

Richardson made things fun and interesting for a bit when a lot of media got their first glimpse of him up close and personal at the combine.

His draft stock is purely a product of hype and fantasy. Nobody has seen a QB that looks and moves like that.

Hooker and Stetson Bennett are better QBs with better film as far as QB specific traits, boxes to check, etc go.

Now that teams are individually working these guys out, going back over the film, and we're past pageantry season, things will settle.

Levis is just as physically and athletically impressive as Richardson, and he's a better QB. He's more accurate. He's familiar with two branches of the modern pro-offense. The things he needs to clean up and work on are more manageable.
 
Funny because Todd McShay said what makes Levis more attractive is that he is th emost game ready QB in this draft, not just due to his skills, but because he is the only one that played in a pro system and he played in the Shannahan system, which is the most difficult in the NFL to master.

Ppl are really undercounting this imo. Even though he didn't excel, he can absolutely operate the most popular (by far) offensive scheme in the NFL.

Young operated in an NFL level scheme too but not under center. Stroud was a very collegiate system, not under center. Richardson... couldn't play at all but is a workout warrior and won't be ready for awhile if ever

Levis is really the only guy who can operate the current NFL meta offense including under center. That's worth alot imo. Probably not enough to have him leapfrog the top two but imo he's a solid 3rd QB off the board
 
Gosh, Kanell. 🤪
 
Still on the train all that entitlement talk was misdirection. Seems like a confident guy but very personable and savy. Can't imagine him going into interviews and saying anything but exactly the right things.

For two years, he ran an NFL offense including under center. He's the most NFL ready guy right now of the class. By start of season, I can see young being more ready but the under center aspect especially for pa pass is a lot to absorb.

That said no way he gets past Indy. I think they are a lock to take him if he's still there
 
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I’d love for any expert to tell me how AR’s arm translates to the NFL but Levi’s’ doesn’t.
Exactly. Will has warts but he’s also balled out at times which is his mystery to pick high.

But AR15 has simply never done it vs decent competition….like ever. But put shorts and run 40 yards dashes with throwing into no defensive backs and he’s Superman? Don’t get it
 
"He obviously looks the part of the type of QB that all NFL Scouts and GMs love (Big, Tall, Muscular, Huge Arm, White, Etc)"

Its Sh*t like this that keeps all races fighting and bickering in this country. I will guarantee you that not a single NFL GM cares about a potential QBs skin color, but you speak for all of them?
He laid it out there. You gotta admit he's got a sack.
 
Levis is now -140 to go second overall.


Sounds like there was some truth to those scores, even if the figures were off to a degree. If stroud scored that horribly low, makes sense it would cause him to drop.
 
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