ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. whiffed on Will Levis

Overreaching on quarterbacks has turn into a yearly custom. Mitch Trubisky goes to work out! Carson Wentz shall be wholesome! Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf? Identical factor! And this yr, the projection for former Kentucky quarterback Will Levis was method off, with nobody being extra unsuitable concerning the mayonnaise-instead-of-cream-and-sugar-in-his-coffee lover than longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., who projected Levis to go No. 4 total to the Indianapolis Colts. At one time, that meant Levis was rated because the second-best quarterback within the draft. Kiper did have Levis in his prime 10 total getting into Thursday’s first spherical.

Will Levis likes to eat banana peels…oh, and he could also be cocky

There have been loads of causes floated as to why Levis needed to re-enter the inexperienced room at Kansas Metropolis’s Union Station on Friday evening. Two predominant ones have caught out, which I suppose Kiper wasn’t aware of in evaluating a quarterback that likes to eat banana peels. Possibly they’re stuffed with fiber? It’s nonetheless disgusting. The primary cause is one thing I blame Kiper much less for choosing up. Based on ESPN colleague Pete Thamel, Levis got here off as cocky and somewhat unlikeable through the interview course of with a number of groups. Second, and rather more importantly, Levis simply wasn’t adequate on tape. And that makes full sense if you happen to really take a look at the info and never attempt to prop up somebody undeserving.

Levis has some nice expertise, little doubt, however what precisely stands out about him? What precisely did Kiper see outdoors of arm power? It’s the basic attain on a prospect the place expectations don’t meet actuality. Kiper’s been evaluating prospects in a similar way to NFL scouts and he’s been doing it longer than most, if not all, of them. How did he fully miss the boat on Levis? Loads of groups might have traded again in on the finish of the primary spherical and didn’t, just like the Ravens did for Lamar Jackson. And so they all didn’t.

Levis might get drafted in Spherical 2

As spherical two begins tonight, Levis probably gained’t last more than the primary 10 picks. Some group will take a flier on him because the deeper you go within the draft, the extra unlikely a prospect is to pan out to be a famous person anyway. If something, Levis might be seen as nice commerce capital in the course of the season when the inevitable string of accidents to quarterbacks occurs anyway.

Barring any trades, that are assured to occur, Levis gained’t fall previous No. 41, the place Tennessee would decide him up 30 spots after many on-air skills, together with Kiper, thought he might be chosen. No. 41 would even be 37 choices after the place the Colts select Anthony Richardson, the newest quarterback to be drafted. Kiper’s misinterpret is hysterical and will’ve been simple to foretell. When Levis couldn’t constantly shut down Southeastern Convention defenses, what makes you suppose an NFL group would wager their future on him? Simply one other case of overreaching on a quarterback.