Will Levis set for pro day, another chance to impress scouts
By ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer
Will Levis had no hesitation about throwing at the NFL scouting combine because he wanted to “show off” his “canon” of an arm.
He’ll get another opportunity to impress scouts at Kentucky’s pro day Friday.
“It’s been a lot of fun, a lot of new experiences, a lot of new people in my life, and it’s just been very challenging, very difficult,” Levis said about the pre-draft process on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “Just in taking the challenges head on and remembering to have fun with it. This is going to be a time of my life that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. And I’ll remember that I did it the right way and I did what I needed to do to help live out my dream.”
The 23-year-old, strong-armed quarterback is expected to be one of the top players selected in next month’s NFL draft. Levis, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Alabama’s Bryce Young and Florida’s Anthony Richardson are the top four prospects at the most important position in football.
They’ve already been scrutinized and analyzed by teams and their medical staffs. They’ve answered the same questions in numerous interviews with coaches and reporters, too. They’ll go through it again at their pro days and with visits to various clubs.
Levis addressed one odd criticism about his muscular build. The chiseled, 6-foot-4, 232-pound Levis heard it mentioned that he might be too “jacked up” to play quarterback.
“I just take it as a compliment,” Levis said. “I definitely know there’s nothing about my stature that limits my ability as a quarterback and as a passer. If anything, it empowers it. So, I think it’s just funny and people can say whatever they want to say.”
Levis spent two seasons at Penn State, starting two games before he transferred to Kentucky. He was 17-7 as a starter for the Wildcats, completed 65.7% of his passes for 5,232 yards, 43 touchdowns with 23 interceptions.
Three of the teams who own the top four picks — the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts — need franchise quarterbacks. Two others — the Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons — are among the top eight.
Levis has no preferences.
“All of my experiences (with teams) have been great,” he said. “I’d love to play for anyone who has interviewed me.”
Levis, who earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Penn State, recently participated in Cash App and Uninterrupted’s new NIL game show series, “The Road to NILion$,” hosted by former NBA player Richard Jefferson. Levis and three other star student-athletes are featured in the four-part series that aims to educate student-athletes and their parents about ways to help sustain their lives and finances beyond their playing careers.
“It was a lot of fun. It was a campaign pretty much just centered around NIL, bringing awareness to the importance of paying attention to that and handling it with care,” Levis said. “It’s such a different kind of opportunity for these boys and girls that are going to be getting this money for the first time in their lives so as someone who’s been through that. … To be there and give advice and have some fun was a great opportunity.”
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