Jordan Palmer breaks down the tape of NFL draft prospect Will Levis (scouting report), explaining why he thinks Levis has all the tools to be an NFL quarterback.
Will Levis
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2023 NFL Combine: Biggest Winners and Losers From Day 3
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (scouting report) was the star of the NFL Combine on Saturday, running a 4.43 40-yard dash and breaking modern combine records for vertical and broad jumping by a QB. And that was all before he showed off his lauded arm strength.
Richardson was joined by fellow quarterbacks Will Levis (scouting report) and C.J. Stroud (scouting report) in on-field workouts, and all three impressed The 33rd Team’s Scouting Department. But not every player who worked out improved their draft stock.
The 33rd Team Scouting Department provides the best — and most disappointing — showings of Day 3.
What We Learned on Day 3
- Tannenbaum: 4 Biggest Takeaways
- Richardson Has Historic Performance
- Clay Harbor: Is Jalin Hyatt WR1?
- NFL Combine Measurements for QB, WR, TE
Day 3 Winners
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 244 | Arm: 32 3/4″ | Hand: 10 1/2″
40 Time: 4.43 | Vertical: 40.5″ | Broad: 10-9 | 3-Cone: DNP | Shuttle: DNP
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson made a strong case to become an NFL team’s next franchise quarterback. It is not normal for a man to run 4.43 (and it wasn’t even in a straight line) at 244 pounds. It is also highly unusual for a man that big to vertical jump over 40 inches and broad jump 10-foot-9. Richardson is big, fast, and explosive, and he has a live arm. The ball jumps out of his hand when he throws, though he can improve his accuracy just a bit. Not having the playing experience some of the other quarterbacks in this draft do, it was important for him to make a statement and show off his physical tools. He certainly did so.
Anthony Richardson is having himself a day.
4.44u on his first run. 😳 @GatorsFB
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/G1Uv9cyPst— NFL (@NFL) March 4, 2023
Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 229 | Arm: 32″ | Hand: 10 5/8″
40 Time: DNP | Vertical: 34″ | Broad: 10-4 | 3-Cone: DNP | Shuttle: DNP
Kentucky Quarterback Will Levis had an impressive day. He looks the part, measuring 6-foot-4 and 229 pounds with a 10 5/8-inch hand. Levis tested well with the second-longest broad jump at 10-foot-4, and a solid vertical jump of 34 inches (he did not run the 40-yard dash). Levis really impressed with his ability to throw in drill work. He looked smooth and effortless in his drops, he showed good accuracy, and he had an exceptionally live arm that caused a buzz in the building. Levis made it look easy, leaving a positive impression on scouts and evaluators with his on-field work.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 214 | Arm: 32 5/8″ | Hand: 10″
40 Time: DNP | Vertical: DNP | Broad: DNP | 3-Cone: DNP | Shuttle: DNP
While most of the buzz will be about the freakish performance from Richardson and the weigh-in for Bryce Young (scouting report), Stroud had an impressive throwing session. In an era when a lot of top QB prospects opt for the more controlled sessions at their pro day, Stroud, Richardson and Levis put their arms on display on the same field in Indy. All three had solid days, but Stroud stood above the rest with calm feet, a smooth, compact delivery, and excellent ball placement. His deep ball was a thing of beauty — the way it dropped out of the sky. He made a statement that he is the best pure passer in this class.
>>READ MORE: C.J. Stroud Is a Future Franchise QB
Rashee Rice, WR, SMU
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 204 | Arm: 32 3/4″ | Hand: 9 1/2″
40 Time: 4.51 | Vertical: 41″ | Broad: 10-8 | 3-Cone: DNP | Shuttle: DNP
SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice (scouting report) had a solid day. He showed off his explosiveness in his jumps and ran a respectable 4.51 in the 40-yard dash. Rice is a good player on film and really the only question about him was his straight-line speed. Even though he didn’t post a rare 40-yard time, he needed to show the scouts he could run that fast on this big stage. He has checked the boxes in his career with his production (96 catches, 14.1 avg, 10 TDs) and now put any questions about his speed and explosiveness to bed.
Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 255 | Arm: 34″ | Hand: 10 1/4″
40 Time: 4.55 | Vertical: 40″ | Broad: 10-8 | 3-Cone: DNP | Shuttle: DNP
Zack Kuntz from ODU was outstanding in the tight end group. He had the top vertical jump and broad jump among all of the tight ends. He also ran 4.55 at 255 pounds. Kuntz helped himself today showing off explosiveness and a second gear. He understands how to run a route and should be a weapon with his big frame and 34-inch-long arms. Big, long and fast, Kuntz went toe-to-toe with the best tight ends in the nation.
Day 3 Losers
Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 195 | Arm: 31 3/8″ | Hand: 9 1/2″
40 Time: 4.50 | Vertical: 29″ | Broad: 9-10 | 3-Cone: DNP | Shuttle: 4.25
LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (scouting report) really struggled. His size and length are average, and he did not get into the 4.4s on his 40. What stood out the most were his 29-inch vertical jump and 9-10 broad jump. The jumps can be an indication of a player’s explosiveness, and those numbers are extremely disappointing. A 29-inch vertical jump would be something expected from a 350-pound nose tackle, not an NFL wide receiver. Scouts will urge him to try to improve his jumps at his pro day in Baton Rouge.
Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 173 | Arm: 30 7/8″ | Hand: 8 3/4″
40 Time: 4.49 | Vertical: 34″ | Broad: 10-2 | 3-Cone: DNP | Shuttle: DNP
USC wide receiver Jordan Addison (scouting report) did not quite hit the numbers that some were hoping for. Only weighing in at 173 pounds, his numbers were in the middle of the pack. Overall, he had an average day. Unfortunately, a 4.49-second 40-yard dash time doesn’t mean what it did 10 years ago, and his vertical jump and broad jump were good but not great. His height, weight and length are obvious concerns, and he didn’t display the kind of explosiveness to offset those concerns. He had to end early with some tightness, but before that, he ran a nice route and snagged a high ball.
Max Duggan, QB, TCU
Height: 6-1 1/2″ | Weight: 207 | Arm: 30 3/8″ | Hand: 9 7/8″
40 Time: 4.52 | Vertical: 30.5″ | Broad: 9-8 | 3-Cone: 7.26 | Shuttle: 4.45
TCU quarterback and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner Max Duggan measured in under 6-foot-2 and his jumps were average — but he ran an impressive 4.52 40-yard dash. It can be a bit deceiving for quarterbacks when they are throwing at the combine because, usually, it is the first time they are passing the football to those wideouts. Their timing can be off because they are not used to the receivers’ speed, quickness and routes. Still, there is a baseline of accuracy expected, and Duggan struggled to reach that. He never seemed to get into a rhythm and sprayed the ball just a bit too much. He does not seem to have a big arm on film, and that was confirmed in Indy.
>>READ: Combine Winners, Losers From DB Workouts
Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 177 | Arm: 30 7/8″ | Hand: 9″
40 Time: 4.44 | Vertical: 39.5″ | Broad: 11-1 | 3-Cone: DNP | Shuttle: DNP
There is no doubt that Bearcats wide receiver Tyler Scott (scouting report) plays fast on the football field, but he left many disappointed with his 40-yard dash time. Scott was expected to be one of the fastest players at the combine — maybe even the fastest. He ran 4.51 on his first run and improved the second time to 4.44. Those were respectable times, but Scott likely is disappointed in the result. At his size, he needed an exceptional time in the 40. His calling card is his explosiveness, and because he is not big and has shown inconsistent hands, he needed to blow the field away with his speed, and he did not do that. He was not even the fastest wide receiver from Cincinnati.
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Height: 6-4 1/2″ | Weight: 249 | Arm: 31 5/8″ | Hand: 9 1/2″
40 Time: 4.70 | Vertical: 32.5″ | Broad: 9-10 | 3-Cone: DNP | Shuttle: DNP
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (scouting report) had a shaky day because he did not test great. He had pedestrian jumps. His 4.70-second 40-yard dash time was not overly surprising, but it wasn’t all that impressive either. In his position drills, he looked rigid, even slipping on one of his in-cuts. The tape is good, so Mayer shouldn’t fall too far down draft boards, but he is at risk of no longer being the first tight end off the board.
The 33rd Team Scouting Department
- T.J. McCreight: Former player personnel executive for the Philadelphia Eagles and former director of college scouting for the Indianapolis Colts
- Justin Casey: Worked for the Arizona Cardinals in football administration and then as the senior player personnel executive for the Montreal Alouettes
- Kevin Cohn: Former scouting assistant for the Jacksonville Jaguars and assistant director of player personnel for the University of Connecticut
- Evan Pritt: Former Eagles scouting assistant and player personnel assistant for the University of Maryland