Draft Notebook: QB picture remains muddy

We are absolutely in the talking season of the NFL Draft calendar. Folks in the draft community are getting antsy as personnel staffs are getting their coaches up to speed on prospects before the entire NFL takes on Indianapolis next week for the Scouting Combine.

However, most teams are more worried about free agency at the moment.

The unrestricted free agency period begins on March 13 and last for two days. Meanwhile, the franchise tag window has opened and will close on March 7. NFL organizations have a lot of big personnel decisions to make on top of looking at draft prospects.

That currently gives us a muddy picture when taking a look at mock drafts. However, there appear to be some things to pick out of the clutter.

On this week’s Draft Notebook at KSR, we are going to take a look at the current stock of Will Levis and why an AFC South could be brewing for Bryce Young.

Draft window is growing for Will Levis

Just last week, it looked like Kentucky quarterback Will Levis had more than a puncher’s chance to the the No. 1 overall pick. However, things can change quickly during draft season.

In Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft for NFL Media, the former Penn State transfer is the third QB off the board at No. 7 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders.

“The picture will be clearer after we get through the quarterback carousel in free agency, but as of now, the Raiders need someone at the position,” writes Jeremiah. “Levis has incredible tools.”

That wasn’t the only piece of information to come out over the last 10 days. ESPN’s Todd McShay alludes to there being a huge variance with Levis throughout the NFL.

The draft grades for Kentucky QB Will Levis are highly varied 😳

"I talked to two GMs in a five-day span, one said 'I'm worried he's gonna be Carson Wentz', … the other said 'He might be the next Josh Allen." —@McShay13 pic.twitter.com/jgyvpoXgd6

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 15, 2023

The in-person meetings in Indianapolis will be critical for Levis to make an impression on franchises. I would not expect the first-round prospect to compete in many drills at the Combine, but his visits with teams will allow him to increase his draft grade. From there, Levis will then schedule facility visits with prospective teams before a big pro day at Kentucky in April.

There is a long way to go as Levis’ draft stock could continue to fluctuate. We’ve even seen a recent No. 1 overall projection. However, the Kentucky product still feels like a top-10 pick at the moment and that feels conservative right now.

AFC South battle for Bryce Young

There will be some crazy takes next week in Indianapolis based on Bryce Young’s height and weight. However, all signs at this point to the Alabama quarterback and former five-star recruit being the first quarterback to come off the board.

Unfortunately, the Chicago Bears are not in the market for a starting quarterback at the moment. But the Houston Texans (No. 2 overall) and Indianapolis Colts (No. 4 overall) are. An AFC South trade-up battle could be brewing.

If you remember back to the final game of the season, the Texans pulled off a wild road win that took them out of the No. 1 spot as Lovie Smith got the last laugh after being fired following just one season of work despite inheriting one of the worst roster situations in the NFL. That could come back to bite Houston as San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans takes over the Texans.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen takes over in Indianapolis. The Colts seem ready to get young at quarterback after a disappointing mid-tier quarterback ride that included Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and Matt Ryan. It’s time for the Colts to get young.

These two franchises face each other twice per season and have won a combined 15 division titles in the AFC South’s 21-year history. The Colts and Texans are both looking to find a franchise QB to emerge to become the top competition for Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars in a very winnable division.

We’ll see if Houston and Indianapolis determine if Young is QB1. If they do, we could see a wild trade as the Bears appear to be the big winners in this situation.