The NFL finished its key, three-day stretch of quarterback pro days with a showcase for Kentucky quarterback Will Levis at Nutter Field House.
Levis had tough acts to follow, as potential top-two picks C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) and Bryce Young (Alabama) went before him.
Despite that, Levis was able to generate some buzz with his pro day. He showed off his well-built physique and worked hard during the workout.
If Stroud and Young were comfortable and calm, Levis was intense and determined to prove that he should be among the first players drafted in 2023. He showcased his best assets, his arm strength and mobility, while attempting to quell concerns about his accuracy and ball placement.
All told, it was a solid pro day for Levis. There are still a few questions he will need to answer after it, but he did well to showcase what his ceiling could be at the next level.
Here are Sporting News' takeaways from Levis' workout at the Kentucky pro day.
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Will Levis pro day takeaways
Levis has top-tier arm strength
The phrase "cannon arm" is going to be used frequently in the lead-up to the 2023 NFL Draft, as most of the top quarterbacks in the class have excellent arms. Levis is among them, and he showcased that at his pro day on Friday.
Levis took time at the end of his workout to show just how far he could throw the ball. He was able to deliver a catchable pass to one of his receivers 65 yards downfield, and he managed to hit his man in stride.
SHEEEESH @will_levis 🚀 @ukfootball
— NFL (@NFL) March 24, 2023
📱: NFL+ Pro Days Live https://t.co/btRyV5Q4Ok pic.twitter.com/GMhXNxL3kI
That was Levis' most impressive throw of the day, but it wasn't the only deep shot he took. He was able to get the ball to go 65 to 70 yards several times in his endgame workout. He also had one that could have got even farther, but hit the ceiling of the Nutter Field House.
Beyond his downfield passing ability, Levis was able to put zip on some of his best passes in the intermediate game. One came on a perfectly located pass down the sideline while another came over the middle of the field and made a nice pop when it hit his receiver.
Will Levis is putting on a show at Kentucky's pro day 💪@UKFootball's pro day live on SEC Network pic.twitter.com/FpOod2Tt9q
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) March 24, 2023
Will Levis to Barion Brown never gets old @BBNTonight pic.twitter.com/foQuGh5PrH
— Maggie Davis (@MaggieDavisTV) March 24, 2023
It's not a surprise that Levis has a live arm, but that him showing it off in front of talent evaluators at his pro day could help his stock.
That said, there is still a major issue with Levis' game that came up during his workout on Friday.
MORE: Full highlights, results from Will Levis' pro day
Levis has some quirks that lead to inaccuracy, wobbly throws
Levis certainly showcased his high ceiling at his pro day with his downfield deep shots. However, his performance also highlighted that he is going to have to work on his consistency in order to overcome his biggest issue as a prospect: accuracy.
Levis had several misses throughout his pro day, but they weren't in any one area. Sometimes, he overthrew his receivers as a result of his arm strength. Other times, he underthrew them. Those issues caused Levis' receivers to have to stop running and wait for the ball to arrive.
In a workout, those issues won't look too bad. But when facing defenses, those types of miscues — especially passes that come up short — could end up resulting in turnovers. That's part of the reason that Levis struggled with interceptions, tossing 23 in his 24 games with Kentucky.
It wasn't just the landing spot of each pass that was a problem for Levis, however. He also tossed some wobbly ones, indicating that he didn't quite get the ball out of his hands in the correct manner.
Part of the reason for those uglier-looking passes? Levis was flipping the ball in his hand before throwing it. He will want to eliminate that mechanical quirk at the next level, as it will help him to deliver a cleaner ball and it will also avoid signaling to the defense that he is about to release it.
Levis certainly has the talent needed to fix his minor concerns, and he did have good ball placement on many of his best throws of the day. If he can clean things up with some solid quarterback coaching at the next level, that will give him a chance to emerge as a quality NFL starter.
But his accuracy concerns remain a knock on him entering the 2023 NFL Draft.
OTHER PRO DAY HIGHLIGHTS: Bryce Young | C.J. Stroud
Levis throws well on the run
In the modern NFL, it's important to have a quarterback who is athletic enough to move around the pocket while still looking for targets downfield. Levis showcased that he has the skill set needed to do that in the pros.
Levis made it a point to show off his mobility, as he threw coming off several designed rollouts during his workout.
Among his best was a throw on his run to the right. He needed only to flick his wrist to get the ball downfield, and it went perfectly into the hands of his receivers.
Will Levis showing off for the NFL at Pro Day pic.twitter.com/ON6KYx6Isk
— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) March 24, 2023
Now, it's important to note that Levis, obviously, isn't facing any sort of pass rush here. Nor was there coverage on the receiver he was targeting.
Still, general managers will be excited by his ability to place the ball well and consistently in his receivers' hands while on the move. That will help to quell some of the concerns about his overall accuracy, which came more from simpler passes within the pocket.