Getty Las Vegas Raiders HC Josh McDaniels.
The Las Vegas Raiders are seriously considering drafting a quarterback early in the 2023 NFL Draft. They signed Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year contract this offseason but it’s clear that they don’t believe he’s a long-term option. That has been proven by the fact that they keep taking close looks at the 2023 quarterback prospects.
Though the Raiders decided to skip Will Levis‘ Kentucky Pro Day, they haven’t ruled out selecting him this year. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Las Vegas is hosting Levis for a visit.
Out of the top quarterbacks in the class, Levis is the most difficult to get a read on. He’s big and strong but can still move with the ball. He’s likely got the biggest arm of any quarterback in the draft and is very smart. Despite that, teams seem lukewarm on him. He’s already 23 years old so he’s not the youngest prospect. He also only threw 19 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in 2022. The fact that he couldn’t beat out Sean Clifford at Penn State and had to transfer to Kentucky is also a red flag. He’s got elite athletic traits but it’s fair to question if he’s the total package you’d want out of a top-10 pick quarterback.
Some Coaches Believe Levis Has 2nd-Round Grade
There will be at least one team that wants to risk it all with Levis. It’s easy to see the comparisons between him and Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen. Both were big but needed a lot of work coming into the league.
According to NBC Sports’ Peter King, some coaches around the league aren’t buying the Levis hype at all. One coach he spoke to said he’s “not sold on Levis and believes he deserves a second-round grade.” Most mock drafts have him going in the first 10 picks so falling to the second round would be a big surprise. There will likely be at least one team that looks at him and sees the next Allen that will be willing to take the risk. It remains to be seen if that team will be the Raiders.
Raiders Named Best Fit for Levis
The Raiders are an interesting landing spot for Levis. He’s likely not going to be ready to be a starting quarterback in Week 1. He needs to work hard on his accuracy and pocket presence. Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels has a good track record of developing young quarterbacks and could work some magic on Levis. He certainly has the physical tools to be a very good quarterback in the NFL.
The fact that he could sit behind Garoppolo for a year or two also makes Las Vegas interesting. ESPN’s Jord Reid believes that the Raiders provide the best fit for Levis out of every other team.
“Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders brought in Jimmy Garoppolo, but Levis could learn and develop before being forced into action down the road,” Reid wrote. “Levis has all of the physical traits necessary at the position, and coach Josh McDaniels is the ideal guy to help nurture his development. With high-end targets around him in Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs, Levis could step into a favorable situation.”
