College football fans shocked by Mel Kiper's QB rankings for 2023 NFL Draft
With the college football season playing its bowl games and the NFL inching towards the playoffs, it's never too early to get a leg-up on the big board for the 2023 NFL Draft, and so far Mel Kiper is turning heads with his picks.
The long-time ESPN draft guru recently revealed his top four players at the quarterback position, and it's safe to say most people were definitely surprised.
Of all the quarterback talent coming out of the collegiate ranks this year, Kiper listed Will Levis of Kentucky as the top arm looking to turn pro.
In his scouting report for Levis, Kiper admitted that the Kentucky quarterback's numbers won't "blow you away," but deflected much of the blame for that lack of production on the players around him.
Kiper on Will Levis
Kiper listed Levis as the No. 3 overall player in the 2023 NFL Draft class irrespective of position.
"Levis plays in a pro-style offense at Kentucky, and he's not going to need much time to adjust to the NFL," Kiper said of the quarterback.
"He can maneuver the pocket and throw on the run. Many of his 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. Levis is the real deal, though, and there are lots of fans of him in the NFL."
Levis finished the season with 2,406 passing yards, scoring 19 touchdowns and throwing 10 interceptions with a 60.2 QBR rating, 60th nationally, completing under 60 percent of his pass attempts in four games this fall and hitting under 20 passes in eight games.
Analysts were high on Levis at the start of the season when Kentucky began 4-0 but his critics grew more vocal after a 98 yard, no touchdown, 3 interception performance in a 44-6 loss to Tennessee midseason. UK lost three of its final five games.
Kiper on Anthony Richardson
Kiper listed the Florida quarterback as the No. 19 overall player in his draft class.
He noted that Richardson "is still very raw — his mechanics and footwork need a lot of work. He has accuracy issues on shorter throws that could be easier."
Richardson passed for 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions, hitting 10 or fewer passes in four games, and rushing for 654 additional yards and nine touchdowns.
Kiper is high on the player's arm strength and skill as a runner and notes that "we're trying to project what a prospect could be, not evaluate exactly what he is right now," adding that Richardson "hasn't come close to his ceiling."
NFL Draft rankings
Kiper ranked Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter as the No. 1 player in the nation followed by No. 2 ranked prospect Alabama edge Will Anderson.
(Kiper)
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