Raiders Projected to Add ‘One of the Most Polarizing’ QBs in Draft

Getty Kentucky QB Will Levis.

With the Derek Carr situation resolved and the quarterback headed for a release, the Las Vegas Raiders can turn their sights to the future. The team could be in the market for a veteran like Aaron Rodgers or Jimmy Garoppolo but neither of those two will lead to long-term sustainability. If the team looks at the market of veterans and doesn’t like what they see, it’s time to look to the draft.

The Raiders hold the No. 7 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which will put them in a decent position to stand pat and draft a quarterback or trade up for one. Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud are viewed as the top two prospects and should be gone by the time Las Vegas picks. If the team doesn’t want to move up, they may have a chance at a quarterback who has a higher upside than both of them. In a mock draft from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, the Raiders keep the No. 7 pick and draft Kentucky quarterback Will Levis.

“One of the most polarizing quarterbacks in this draft lands in Las Vegas, where he will have a plethora of talented pass-catchers to target,” Zierlein wrote.

Levis Is a Boom or Bust Prospect

Levis may be the most interesting player in the draft. He’s compared himself to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and it’s easy to see the comparison in some ways. They’re both big quarterbacks with huge arms who can run the ball when they need to. However, Levis’s production during his senior year at Kentucky was disappointing. He threw for 2,406 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He had a 60.9 QBR, which ranked 59th in the country.

Levis didn’t have the best players to work with as a senior but he wasn’t able to elevate those around him on a consistent basis. Regardless, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. believes that he is the best quarterback prospect in the draft.

“Levis played in a pro-style offense at Kentucky, and he’s not going to need much time to adjust to the NFL,” Kiper wrote. “He can maneuver the pocket and throw on the run. Many of his turnovers came when he tried to use his arm to force throws, and he’s going to be punished for mistakes at the next level. Levis is the real deal, though, and there are lots of fans of him in the NFL.”

Are Raiders a Good Fit for Levis?

Levis needs a lot of work so what’s best for him is to land with a team that has a proven offensive head coach. Josh McDaniels has developed a number of solid quarterbacks in the NFL and none of them had the upside of Levis. Plus, the Raiders have Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller for him to throw to. It’d be a good situation for a young quarterback to end up in.

Now, the Raiders might have concerns on their end. How long is it going to take for Levis to develop into a capable NFL quarterback? The team has too much veteran talent to wait three years for him to learn how to play. If Las Vegas thinks that he’ll be ready by Year 2, then it could be worth taking a chance on him.