Will Levis could be Josh Allen — and I could be Mark Twain

If it was as much as me, Will Levis placing mayonnaise in his espresso wouldn’t solely low cost him from being a first-round choose, however it’d additionally land him in jail. People who’re obsessive about condiments want critical reform of their lives. Scars from working at Subway in highschool apart although, I suppose Levis has bust written throughout him.

Despite Kentucky and its quarterback underperforming this season, mock drafts nonetheless have him within the prime three to 10 picks, and some unsuspecting NFL fanbase is in for a shock worse than a mug filled with mayo.

The Cats had been a shock a 12 months in the past, going 10-3 in opposition to a reasonably forgiving schedule. I’d argue that beating LSU and Florida throughout a season through which each universities fired their head coach is much less spectacular than just about some other 12 months.

Regardless, the carryover from that season, a robust arm, and early-season cupcakes led Mel Kiper to place the UK signal-caller above Bryce Young as the second-best QB in the 2023 draft. Well, in case you take away the video games in opposition to Youngstown State, Northern Illinois, and Miami of Ohio, Levis hasn’t thrown for greater than 230 yards in a recreation this 12 months. Including final season, he’s damaged the 300-yard mark only one time in opposition to a Power 5 faculty, and Tennessee’s protection in 2021 was extra FCS than FBS.

Let’s play a recreation. Quarterback A has 2,761 yards passing, a 66.6 completion proportion, 16 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Quarterback B has 2,406 yards, a 65.4 completion price, and 19 TDs to 10 interceptions. Now, guess which one is Levis and which one is South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler.

Levis is QB B and Rattler, who’s projected to be an undrafted free agent, is QB A.

Rattler was a Heisman candidate at Oklahoma earlier than final season, has loads of arm expertise/pedigree, and no person is speaking themselves into placing him into the primary spherical. Granted the Heisman hype for Rattler was misguided, however it’s no worse than some NFL GM reaching on Levis.

The distinction between the 2 is Levis isn’t a dick, and has a knack for profitable over teammates, media, and anyone else in an interview setting or the gymnasium. Todd McShay mentioned a scout instructed him that he couldn’t discover a single individual on campus who doesn’t heap reward on Levis. If being likable translated to an all-pro on the sphere, Baker Mayfield would nonetheless be in Cleveland (and Deshaun Watson would be unemployed).

I’ve seen Levis in comparison with Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen, and that’s flat out irresponsible. Allen a minimum of had a season price drooling over at Wyoming to go together with all of the bodily attributes. He accounted for 3,700-plus whole yards with 35 mixed scores as a junior. If you squint laborious sufficient, Levis’ 3,330-yard, 33-touchdown marketing campaign as a junior compares.

Allen had accidents to excuse his less-than-stellar senior season. Yet, what the hell occurred in Lexington? The Cat QB has -107 yards on the bottom this 12 months, which is a large drop-off of 483 yards from 2021.

Yes, the SEC is a bear, and Kentucky is outfitted for pheasant. Those defenses are borderline professional items, which makes me much more nervous about Levis as he appears to be like misplaced at instances. But he had 11 completions for 109 yards, no TDs, and a choose in a loss in opposition to Vanderbilt lower than a month in the past.

With correct teaching and growth, perhaps he turns into Allen. Though that could be mentioned for a plethora of quarterbacks with first-round expertise who labored their asses off and nonetheless sucked. Levis is extra Daniel Jones or Mitch Trubisky than Allen or Stafford. Front places of work do that yearly with a exercise marvel. They selectively analyze tape, weep at his professional days, and gasp over a fantastic interview as if the prospect hasn’t been groomed by a handler for years. They’re searching for any indicators that he’s the prince who was promised when all they needed to do was comply with his profession as Kentucky to know he ain’t it.

If you’re like me, Levis including slightly Hellmann’s to his hazelnut mix was greater than sufficient to bitter you on this sociopath. However, in case you wanted a extra complete, detailed argument, there you could have it.