Mel Kiper Jr. explains why Will Levis is the top quarterback on his latest Big Board

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. raised plenty of eyebrows Thursday when he listed Kentucky quarterback Will Levis as the top quarterback on his Big Board, putting him ahead of 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and 2022 Heisman finalist C.J. Stroud. On Thursday evening’s edition of SportsCenter, he explained why he made that decision.

Kiper joined Kevin Negandhi to break down why Levis tops his board. He cited Levis’ performance in 2021 as a big reason why, a season in which he threw for 2,826 yards and 24 touchdowns. This year, Kiper said Levis was hampered by injuries and poor offensive line play, and that’s why he struggled.

“Not only does he look like a big-time NFL quarterback, Kevin, two years ago, he played like a big-time NFL quarterback when he had some help from his offensive line and his teammates,” Kiper said of Levis. “This year, offensive line let him down, he was beaten up, he was injured and he played through it.

“The guts he showed was impressive, to me. He still made tough throws under duress, he hung in there all year for his team. That’s who he’s about. He’s not a guy who’s about Will Levis. It’s about winning games, doing what he can for his teammates and that team at Kentucky. “

Then, Kiper made a bold comparison for Levis, putting him in the same category — at least, mentally — as Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

“He’s got a lot of Josh Allen in him,” Kiper said. “He’s not going to be Josh Allen in the NFL, possibly. But he’s got that type of mentality, and he certainly can make any throw you want. He’s mobile, he’s tough, he’s smart. Love Will Levis. Throw out this year. He was just beaten up almost from start to finish.”

Will Levis plans to skip Music City Bowl, prepare for 2023 NFL Draft

Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, to the surprise of no one, is headed to the 2023 NFL Draft after two seasons starting for the Wildcats — after transferring from Penn State. Levis also made clear he is not going to play in the Music City Bowl and shared a farewell message to Kentucky fans on Wednesday.

While this Kentucky season might’ve disappointed on the field with Levis getting hurt for a spell and the Wildcats generally struggling on offense, it’s clear just how special of a place it has become for Levis.

“If I have one thing to hold in my heart from my time here in Lexington, it’s that Kentucky has my back and that everything ahead of me wouldn’t be possible without the support and encouragement I received along the way,” Levis wrote in a post on Twitter.