It’s always fun to look at NFL draft big boards to see who’s the actual best player available, beyond individual team needs.
For our Christian D’Andrea, his big board had Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. as the top 2023 prospect.
In Mel Kiper’s final ESPN NFL draft big board, it’s Georgia’s Jalen Carter at the top despite some struggles at Georgia’s Pro Day and off the field woes. His top QB is Alabama’s Bryce Young. But at No. 2 quarterback and fourth overall? It’s Kentucky’s Will Levis, a player who has slid in some mock drafts. Here’s what Kiper had to say:
Levis’ stats won’t blow anyone away, but he didn’t have a great supporting cast of playmakers around him. He had 19 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions last season, and his 60.9 QBR ranked 59th in the country. But when I went through and watched all of his starts at Kentucky, I was really impressed with his game. Levis has a rocket launcher for an arm and makes some “wow” throws. That has gotten the Penn State transfer into trouble at times, but it’s clear watching him that he believes he can fit the ball into any window. My comparison for him is Matthew Stafford.
Levis played in a pro-style offense at Kentucky, and he’s not going to need much time to adjust to the NFL. He can maneuver the pocket and throw on the run. Many of Levis’ turnovers came when he tried to use his arm to force throws, and he’s going to be punished for mistakes at the next level. He is the real deal, though, and there are lots of Levis fans in the NFL.
Intriguing!
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There you have it. Make sure to check out our latest NFL mock draft. We also have our latest “consensus” mock draft to show who the experts are picking, along with the full first-round order up to date after the Aaron Rodgers.
Also! One question for every NFL team ahead of the draft.