Will Levis pro day takeaways: Kentucky QB shows off strong arm but accuracy issues remain

The NFL concluded its important three-day quarterback pro days with a showcase for Kentucky quarterback Will Levis at Nutter Field House.

Levis had tough action to follow as potential top 2 picks CJ Stroud (Ohio State) and Bryce Young (Alabama) went ahead of him.

Nevertheless, Levis was able to cause a stir with his pro day. He showed off his well-built physique and worked hard during training.

While Stroud and Young were comfortable and calm, Levis was intense and determined to prove he should be among the first players drafted in 2023. He showed his best, arm strength and agility while trying to allay concerns about his accuracy and ball placement.

All in all, it was a solid pro day for Levis. There are still a few questions he needs to answer after that, but he did well to show what his next-level cap could be.

Here are Sporting News’ takeaways from Levi’s practice at the Kentucky Pro Day.

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Wants Levi’s takeaways a day

Levis has top notch arm strength

The term “cannon arm” is used a lot in the run-up to the 2023 NFL draft because most of the best quarterbacks in the class have excellent weapons. Levis is among them, and he showed it during his pro day on Friday.

Levis took his time at the end of his practice session to show how far he could throw the ball. He was able to deliver a catchable pass to one of his receivers 65 yards down and managed to hit his man in the walk.

That was Levi’s most impressive throw of the day, but it wasn’t the only deep shot he made. He was able to get the ball flying 65 to 70 yards several times in his endgame practice. He also had one that could have gone further but hit the ceiling of the Nutter Field House.

Aside from his downfield passing ability, Levis was able to power up some of his best passes in the interlude. One came on a perfectly placed pass on the sidelines, while another came across midfield and made a nice bang as it hit its receiver.

It’s no surprise that Levis has a living arm, but showing it off in front of talent evaluators on his pro day could help his stock.

However, there is still a major problem with Levi’s game that surfaced during his practice session on Friday.

MORE: Full highlights, results from Will Levis’ pro day

Levi’s has some quirks that result in inaccurate, wobbly casts

Levis showed off his high ceiling on his pro day with his deep shots from downfield. However, his performance also showed that he needs to work on his consistency to overcome his biggest problem as a prospect: accuracy.

Levis had several mistakes during his pro day, but they weren’t in any area. Sometimes he would topple his listeners due to his arm strength. Other times he subdued them. These problems caused Levis receivers to stop running and wait for the ball to arrive.

In a workout, these problems won’t look too bad. But when faced with a defense, these types of mistakes — especially passes that fall short — could lead to turnovers. That’s one of the reasons Levis struggled with interceptions and threw 23 in his 24 games with Kentucky.

However, it wasn’t just the landing spot of each pass that posed a problem for Levis. He also threw some wobbly ones, suggesting he wasn’t getting the ball right out of his hands.

Part of the reason for those uglier looking passports? Levis twirled the ball in his hand before throwing it. He will want to eliminate this mechanical quirk to the next level as it will help him deliver a cleaner ball and it will also avoid signaling the defense that he is about to let go.

Levis certainly has the talent to fix his little problems and he had good ball placement on many of his best shots of the day. If he can clean things up to the next level with solid quarterback coaching, it will give him a chance to establish himself as a high-profile NFL starter.

But his concerns about accuracy remain a blow for him going into the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Levis throws well on the run

In the modern NFL, it’s important to have a quarterback athletic enough to move in the pocket while still keeping an eye out for downfield targets. Levis proved he has the skills to do it in the pros.

Levis made a point of showing off his mobility as he threw off several designed rollouts during his practice.

Among his best was a shot on his run to the right. He only had to flex his wrist to bring the ball down and it landed perfectly in the hands of his receivers.

Now it’s important to note that Levis obviously doesn’t face a passing rush here. The receiver he was aiming at was also uncovered.

Still, general managers will be amazed at his ability to put the ball well and consistently in the hands of his receivers on the go. That will help allay some of the concerns about his overall accuracy, which tended to stem from easier passes in the bag.