Todd McShay: Despite Improvements, Levis still behind Stroud, Young

For the second time in a month, Will Levis went through highly scrutinized workouts in front of NFL officials. To the naked eye, it’s difficult to make any sort of significant discernment. “Wow, he threw the ball far.” Following UK Pro Day, Todd McShay’s in-person analysis provides a better idea of what decision-makers are looking for and why it’s unlikely he will ultimately be the first quarterback selected in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Levis’ pro day capped off three straight by the NFL Draft’s top quarterback prospects. After attending CJ Stroud‘s at Ohio State on Wednesday and Bryce Young‘s at Alabama on Thursday, McShay left Lexington on Friday convinced Levis is a notch below the players who led CFB Playoff contenders.

“At the end of the day, I see Levis in a second tier behind Young and Stroud,” McShay wrote for ESPN+. “He has a live arm, but he just needs time to figure the rest out. He isn’t quite there from an efficiency standpoint. But it looks like he’s doing the right things, and I do see some improvement already in the concern areas.”

💙 the @will_levis 🚀 @BarionBrown connection 🤩#UKProDay 😼🏈 pic.twitter.com/MFp7APZmel

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) March 25, 2023

Where Will Levis Showed Improvements at UK Pro Day

The good news is Levis is showing NFL teams that he’s coachable. Even before he arrived in Lexington, improving lower body mechanics was a point of emphasis for Will Levis. Without steady feet tied to his throwing motion, it leads to inconsistent strikes.

Over the last few weeks, renowned quarterback coach Jordan Palmer has been working with Levis to correct the mistakes he makes from the waist down. Even in the short time between the NFL Combine and UK Pro Day, McShay can already notice a difference.

“In Friday’s throwing session, he did look more fluid, though. Things appeared a little more tied together,” said McShay. “On throws into the intermediate range (20-30 yards downfield), I saw more touch, as he was clearly trying to drop the ball in for his pass-catchers. There was definitely better arc on his corner routes, too. Not everything was a laser shot. And anytime his receiver was facing him or going back to him, the throw was right on the mark. His footwork appeared improved, though there is still work to do there. That will come from drilling over and over so that it becomes muscle memory.”

Todd McShay currently ranks the former Wildcat as QB3 and the No. 14 prospect overall. There are plenty of reasons why the Panthers, Seahawks or Raiders might take a chance on Levis, even though he still has plenty of work to do to become a consistent NFL starting quarterback.

“Bottom line is Levis obviously still has refining to do when it comes to mechanics, but you can’t coach his arm, size and mobility,” wrote McShay. “The rest will come with time, but the weak spots are fixable and coachable if he ends up in the right situation.”

[ESPN+]