COMMENTARY: Quarterback Will Levis Too Good for Jets to Pass up

Gang Green can plan for a fruitful post-Rodgers Era by drafting Kentucky's two-time team captain

Author:
Ralph Ventre
Publish date:
Apr 13, 2023 9:43 PM EDT

In this story:

New York Jets

Kentucky Wildcats

New York Jets' general manager Joe Douglas shouldn’t think twice should the situation present itself.

Not every Draft features a Will Levis.

Not often will a special talent like the Kentucky quarterback fall outside of the Top 10.

As divisive of a prospect as he's been, Levis boasts undeniably elite arm strength and a toughness that goes well with his relatively large frame. He has potential to reach elite starter status in the pros.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is likely a one-year Super Bowl-or-bust proposition for Gang Green. No rational thinker expects the 39-year old Rodgers to be the Jets' quarterback past 2024 at the absolute latest.

Without a long-term option in place at the quarterback position, the New York Jets should pounce on Levis if he's available at No. 13 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Jets need to install a quarterback that can seamlessly take the reins from Rodgers after the four-time NFL MVP's work is complete (if it ever begins).

Levis can be that guy.

To the idea that Aaron Rodgers' ego would be bruised should the Jets draft his eventual replacement, I encourage all to stop and think for a minute.

Sure, Rodgers sounded annoyed by the Packers' addition of Love on multiple occasions, including his memorable March 15 appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. The Jets, however, would not create the same effect by drafting Levis since the two franchises' situations are entirely different.

Unlike Green Bay, Gang Green did not draft Rodgers and enter into a long 18-year marriage with the quarterback. The Packers watched him grow into a surefire Hall-of-Famer, who proceeded to capture a Super Bowl title and four MVP awards. The former first-round pick may arguably be the most-popular player in Green Bay's franchise history.

Rodgers likely knows, and accepts, "the deal" when it comes to punctuating his career as a New York Jet. On the surface, it looks like a potential mutually-beneficial short-term relationship where neither party holds any past resentment.

Meanwhile, on the surface, Levis appears to have the highest ceiling of all quarterback prospects in the 2023 draft class.

Featuring a cannon for a right arm and sporting a sturdy frame, the nearly 6-foot-4 Levis can inspire visions of a junior Josh Allen. Measuring with 10.5-inch hands, the two-time Kentucky team captain has consistently shown elite arm talent.

Levis’ experience running the Wildcats’ pro-style offense will only help him while adjusting to the NFL level of competition. In two seasons as the starting UK signal caller, he went 418-of-636 passing (65.7) for 5,233 yards and 43 touchdowns.

Levis is only the third quarterback in Kentucky history to pass for 365+ yards on four different occasions, joining former NFL Draft picks Tim Couch and the late Jared Lorenzen.

Compared to the two former Wildcats, Levis possesses great mobility. The 230-pound bulldozer can escape the pocket and move the chains using his legs.

The gritty Levis, who shows his athleticism and toughness while on the run, totaled 17 career rushing touchdowns in college.

Levis put on an air show at the 2023 NFL Combine during passing drills. He should not have any difficulty executing the tight-window throws that are required when going against NFL defenses.

In terms of his Combine testing, Levis finished second (to only Anthony Richardson) amongst all quarterback participants in the broad jump (10’4”). His 34-inch vertical jump ranked fifth overall in the QB group.

In addition to stunning physical attributes, Levis carries a stellar academic resume that rivals the collegiate accomplishments of current Los Angeles Chargers’ starter Justin Herbert. The College Sports Communicators honored Kentucky’s confident gunslinger as the 2022 NCAA Division I Academic All-America Team Member of the Year.

Levis, who posted a near-perfect 3.95 undergraduate grade-point average at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business, earned a master’s degree in finance from UK’s Gatton School of Business and Economics.

I’m no NFL general manager, or economist for that matter, but it certainly seems like a low-risk, high-reward business decision to take Levis with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.