Tag: Will Levis

Will Levis, Kentucky beat Anthony Richardson, Florida in battle of top QB prospects

Anthony Richardson struggled, while Will Levis did just enough to lead Kentucky to a second straight win over Florida

It was billed as a showdown between two of the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class, but while the game had plenty of drama, the signal-callers weren’t exactly lighting it up on either side.

Will Levis led Kentucky to their second straight win over Florida, something that hadn’t happened since 1976, completing 13 of his 24 passes for 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson came back down to earth after his otherworldly performance in last week’s upset win over Utah, going 14-for-35 through the air for just 143 yards, no touchdowns, and a pair of picks. He was also held to just four yards rushing.

This won’t be the final chapter when it comes to the draft stock of either passer, but Levis got the better end of this round.

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WATCH: Kentucky QB Will Levis tosses beautiful TD pass vs. Florida

Watch Kentucky quarterback Will Levis launch a 55-yard touchdown pass against Florida

In a battle between top quarterback prospects in the SEC, Kentucky’s Will Levis has made the first splash play.

The Wildcats’ talented passer opened things up early in the second quarter, lofting a sweet deep ball to true freshman wide receiver Dane Key for a 55-yard touchdown, giving them the lead over the Gators.

Anthony Richardson will have something to say about this one before it’s done, but Levis is showing off the kind of arm talent NFL teams will be excited about in next year’s draft.

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Seahawks among 15 teams watching QB battle between Florida and Kentucky

According to Jordan Reid, the Seahawks are one of 15 teams sending scouts to watch Will Levis vs. Anthony Richardson.

It’s the second Saturday of the college football season and the biggest matchup will come between Florida and Kentucky, where two of the top 2023 quarterback prospects will face off.

According to ESPN’s Jordan Reid, the Seahawks are one of 15 teams sending scouts to watch Will Levis vs. Anthony Richardson.

Seattle will be starting Geno Smith on Monday night against the Broncos, but no matter how well he performs this season it’s unlikely he will return as their starter next year.

While the 2022 QB class is supposed to be relatively weak, next year’s crop is much stronger and the Seahawks should have their pick of several promising passers, even if they don’t wind up with a top-five selection.

Last week, Richardson ran wild against Utah, totaling 106 yards and three touchdowns as a rusher. Meanwhile, Levis went 21/32 for 303 yards, three touchdowns against Miami Ohio. Both may turn out to be first-round picks.

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Panthers in attendance for Saturday’s Kentucky vs. Florida matchup

The Panthers will be one of 15 NFL teams in Gainesville tonight—with eyes, presumably, on Anthony Richardson and Will Levis.

The Carolina Panthers have plenty to focus on this weekend. After all, they only begin their 2022 regular season in less than 24 hours.

That, however, doesn’t mean they don’t have an eye on the future.

According to ESPN NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid, the Panthers will have some have representation down at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. tonight—the site of an SEC battle between the Kentucky Wildcats and Florida Gators. They’ll be joined, unsurprisingly, by 14 other teams.

And that number is unsurprising because of the two headliners of the matchup—starting quarterbacks and top 2023 NFL draft prospects Will Levis and Anthony Richardson.

Levis is currently in his senior year at the University of Kentucky. He began his final collegiate campaign on a good note last week, passing for 303 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-13 win over the Miami University Redhawks.

Not to be outdone, Richardson shined as well in Florida’s season-opening triumph. The dual-threat 6-foot-4, 232-pounder—who some would say resembles a young Cam Newton—completed 17 of his 24 throws for 168 yards while adding another 111 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

The Wildcats and Gators kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET.

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Lions 2023 NFL draft prospect watch for CFB Week 2

2023 NFL draft prospects to watch in CFB Week 2 with an eye for the Detroit Lions

College football enters its second full weekend of games on the Saturday before the NFL slate kicks off in full for Week 1. The Detroit Lions will have scouts out at college games around the country evaluating players who could interest them in the 2023 NFL draft.

Here are some of the players to know and watch from a Lions scouting perspective. The list features two games where Detroit is confirmed to be sending scouting staff on Saturday.

Anthony Richardson vs. Will Levis is must-see TV for QB-needy NFL teams

Saturday’s SEC East showdown between Florida and Kentucky will feature of matchup of top quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class

If your favorite NFL team will be needing a franchise quarterback next offseason, don’t be surprised if they have some high-rankings members of their scouting department in attendance for Saturday’s SEC East showdown between Florida and Kentucky.

This matchup features two of the top passers in the 2023 NFL draft class, and they’re both getting an early test against a conference opponent to prove their mettle.

Florida’s Anthony Richardson is coming off an incredible performance in last week’s upset win over No. 7 Utah, in which he showed off his rare versatility, athleticism, and playmaking ability.

Kentucky had no problem with Miami (OH) last week in a 37-13 victory, as Will Levis threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns, with an interception.

Both of these talented prospects have shown flashes of brilliance that prove their high ceilings at the next level, but consistency is what NFL teams will want to see from them, especially in big games against quality opponents.

This game will give NFL scouts a chance to see how Richardson and Levis are able to rise to the occasion, knowing they’re facing off against another star at their position across the field.

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Ranking SEC quarterbacks after Week 1

SEC QB rankings following Week 1: Stetson on the rise.

The reigning Heisman winner, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, appears ready to repeat as the recipient of college football’s most coveted award this season. And after a 6 touchdown performance that included 100 rushing yards, he’s the frontrunner for the award again this season.

But the Southeastern Conference has no shortage of elite talent at the quarterback position that will give Young a challenge every week.

There’s Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, a player very few considered one of the top passers in the SEC this season. The reigning national champ had a stellar game, helping UGA’s offense score 49 points against No. 11 Oregon. Don’t forget Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, who torched Utah through the air and on the ground in an upset win for the Gators. Hendon Hooker of Tennessee looked like he’s ready for a big year with a nice performance in Week 1. Same goes for Mississippi State’s Will Rogers and Arkansas‘ KJ Jefferson, who both put up big stats over the weekend.

We ranked every SEC quarterback following their Week 1 performance.

The rankings, plus their Heisman odds (courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook):

James Franklin far less definitive on backup QB plans in Week 2

James Franklin was definitive on his backup QB decision in Week 1, but not so much in Week 2.

Penn State fans got a brief glimpse of [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] in action in Week 1 against Purdue, but head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] is reluctant to say the freshman will be the top backup to [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] again in week 2.

Franklin named Allar the team’s backup quarterback in Penn State’s season opener at Purdue. Allar got on the field to run the offense for a series in the third quarter while Clifford was attended to briefly in the locker room. But despite the brief appearance as Penn State’s backup quarterback, Franklin is heading into Week 2 looking for a competition at the backup position between Allar and [autotag]Christian Veilleux[/autotag].

“We haven’t really made any decisions,” Franklin said on Tuesday in a press conference with the media when asked if Allar will be the backup option again. “We had basically a Friday corrections jog-through practice, and kind of a bonus one on Sunday, which we were able to do a little bit more, but we still were only in helmets.”

“Tuesday and Wednesday are our work days where we get the best evaluation of where we’re at,” Franklin explained. “That determines maybe some moves that we may or may not make. It’s a competition week-in and week-out. I don’t have that answer for you right now.”

A week ago, Franklin came right out and said Allar would be the team’s backup. This week, he is clearly taking a more open approach to not necessarily rule out the possibility Veilleux gets the nod if needed. It is an interesting change in messaging from the head coach, and there could be multiple reasons to do so for Franklin. Franklin has always been one to pump up competition for the team’s best interest. But the public messaging on the subject could also be a tactic used to try to convince Veilleux he is still a key member of the team to keep him from contemplating entering the transfer portal.

Penn State has lost two backup quarterbacks to the transfer portal since the end of the 2020 season with [autotag]Will Levis[/autotag] going to Kentucky and [autotag]Ta’Quan Roberson[/autotag] heading to UConn.

Penn State faces Ohio in Beaver Stadium on Saturday, September 10 at 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Former Penn State QB wins starting job at new program

Best of luck to former Penn State quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson, who will be the starting QB for UConn.

There will be two former Penn State quarterbacks starting the season as QB1 with another program this fall. [autotag]Will Levis[/autotag] took the SEC and Kentucky by storm last season after being anointed the starting quarterback for the Wildcats last season, and he is now a trendy pick to be among the first quarterbacks chosen in the 2023 NFL draft. It may be premature to suggest the fortunes will smile upon [autotag]Ta’Quan Roberson[/autotag] the same way at UConn, but a fresh start may have paid off for the former Penn State backup.

Roberson, as expected, has been tabbed as the starting quarterback for the UConn Huskies, who begin their 2022 season on Saturday at Utah State. Pete Thamel of ESPN reported the quarterback news on Saturday morning, hours before UConn was set to kickoff against the defending Mountain West Conference champions. Roberson will be the first starting quarterback for new UConn head coach Jim Mora, and there is still some good potential to be utilized for the Huskies program.

Roberson was used in limited action during his short stay at Penn State. He appeared in four games for the Nittany Lions last season, most notably in place of an injured Sean Clifford in a road loss at Iowa. Roberson was in a tough spot against the Hawkeyes and did not perform well enough to help Penn State hold off Iowa in the first loss of the 2021 season.

When Clifford was forced out of a game later in the season against Rutgers, it was Christian Veilleux who took the field in place of Roberson. The writing appeared to be on the wall at that point, and Roberson entered the transfer portal at the end of the 2021 season.

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Sooners QB Dillon Gabriel needs good season to cement NFL Draft stock

While the Sooners transfer QB has looked good in his three years at UCF, Dillon Gabriel needs one last great season to cement his NFL Draft stock.

The headliners of the 2023 quarterback draft class are Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud. Florida’s Anthony Richardson, Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke and Kentucky’s Will Levis are also looking to go early next year.

In any case, the 2023 crop of QBs is looking much stronger than 2022’s, which saw only one QB get selected in the first round: Pitt’s Kenny Pickett.

Jeff Lebby saw Dillon Gabriel in the transfer portal and simply had to have him back in his offense once it was clear that Caleb Williams was on the move. Lebby was Gabriel’s offensive coordinator in 2019 before joining Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss.

After playing only three games in 2021 due to a broken collarbone and entering the transfer portal, Gabriel was given a rare opportuinity to join a blue blood program to run an offense that he already knows. Coming to Norman was a no-brianer.

Though an experienced quarterback, Gabriel isn’t a highly-rated draft prospect with the 2022 season around the corner. NFLDraftBuzz.com has him projected as a UDFA.

Improving your draft stock this late in the game is hard. It’s already a crowded class and the QBs rated ahead of Gabriel have more “NFL-type” bodies. At 5-11 and 204 lbs, Gabriel is about the same size as Bryce Young. Young, however, is more talented and has the better arm.

There is more to being a QB than physical traits. Gabriel has already asserted himself as the leader of the Sooners in the short time he’s been in Norman, and that is something NFL GMs look at.

He can make all the throws and is mobile in the pocket. He’s not exactly a rushing threat, but he’s not simply a pure pocket-passer.

If he plays like the best QB in the Big 12 in 2022, the NFL will start paying closer attention to Dillon Gabriel. There’s nothing stopping him from doing just that. If he stays healthy, Gabriel will do big things in a Sooners uniform.

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