Former Kentucky quarterback Will Levis experienced a dramatic drop down the board during the 2023 NFL Draft before the Tennessee Titans made him the 33rd selection.
Despite Levis’ obvious talent, there was some concerns over whether his game would translate to the NFL level.
With the Titans taking part in organized team activities (OTAs) this week, Levis has struggled with the nuance of the professional game. Various reports from camp indicate that he’s been inaccurate with his passes and has struggled with decision making.
While this is to be expected to an extent when it comes to a young quarterback, it also has to be concerning for the Titans’ brass. Levis himself touched on these struggles from camp, making it clear that they are not getting to him.
“I know I have more opportunities tomorrow and the next day, so I’m not going to beat myself up. High standards are the name of the game. It’s not to beat yourself up. It’s to motivate you to go out there and perform to the best of your ability,” Will Levis to reporters during OTAs.
Accuracy was one of the major issues for Levis coming out of Kentucky. While he did complete 65% of his passes last season, issues came up when it related to his intermediate accuracy and ability to throw down the field.
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Early Will Levis struggles create QB issue for the Tennessee Titans
It was noted in early May that the Titans don’t expect Levis to compete for the QB1 job as a rookie. Instead, that role will likely go to stopgap veteran Ryan Tannehill.
“Ryan Tannehill is the starter Week 1. That is what I’ve been told. This is his team, he is the guy. Drafting Will Levis is obviously, this team looking to the future knowing that Ryan Tannehill will be playing on an expiring contract. For now, it’s Ryan Tannehill’s team.”
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This creates an issue for a Titans team that lost its final seven games a season ago. Tennessee was linked to quarterbacks, Levis included, in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. New general manager Ran Carthon opted to go with offensive tackle Peter Skoronski at 11 before trading up for Levis in the second round.
This followed months of rumors that the Titans were prepared to move on from Tannehill after a second consecutive down season for the veteran.
Meanwhile, 2022 third-round pick Malik Willis was in way over his head as a rookie a season ago. While the former Liberty star is on hand for OTAs, recent indications are that the Titans could release him before training camp. That’s how bad Willis was as a rookie.
Tennessee might be leaking that it doesn’t view Levis as a starter during the 2023 season. But the options are dwindling for a team that still thinks its playoff window is open. Levis’ initial struggles add another layer to that.