Should Will Levis’ slide change Commanders 2023 NFL Draft plans?

Should the alarming slide from quarterback Will Levis alter the Washington Commanders’ plans on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft?

Many projected the consensus top-four quarterbacks to go relatively early during the 2023 NFL Draft. While that proved to be the case for Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson, there was one who wasn’t so lucky.

Will Levis was the odd man out. He waited, and waited, and waited some more – but no call came on Day 1.

ESPN Analytics gave Levis almost no chance statistically of falling out of the top 10, let alone the first-round entirely. However, there was something holding NFL teams looking for help under center off from taking the plunge.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Pittsburgh Steelers have already taken multiple calls for the No. 32 overall selection from teams looking to move up and select Levis. After securing their potential shutdown cornerback, could the Washington Commanders be among those picking up the phone?

Commanders should ignore Will Levis temptation

Those in power probably felt Levis would be way out of range based on projections. He didn’t enjoy the best final college year at Kentucky, but teams always bet on someone with the physical measurables and phenomenal arm strength at his disposal.

Now that Levis is there for the taking via trade-up, it’s something that might warrant a discussion. The Commanders seem happy with Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett as their quarterback options in 2023, but plans often change when it comes to recruitment.

Much will depend on how Eric Bieniemy perceives the situation. He’s spent a lot of time with Hendon Hooker throughout pre-draft evaluations – who is also still on the board – but whether ignoring a growing concern across the offensive line is worth the risk remains to be seen.

There is a critical need for interior or edge additions after the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles both bolstered their defensive lines. Taking a risk like Levis could bring substantial rewards, but it doesn’t alter the serious questions facing the offensive line heading into the new campaign.

Although tempting if Levis does manage to put everything together, it would be surprising if the Commanders altered course. They didn’t in the first round when Christian Gonzalez fell, so Levis might not enter their train of thought when push comes to shove.

That’s not to say Levis won’t become a productive pro over time. There are some decision-making and accuracy deficiencies to figure out before there can be any confidence about throwing him in at the deep end, but the athleticism and velocity of his throws indicate there might be a player in there somewhere.

Building around Howell and giving the former fifth-round pick a legitimate shot seems like the best course of action. Ron Rivera might be betting his job on this working out, but there are too many holes elsewhere to consider anything else.

Besides, the league is clearly not as high on Levis as some fans and analysts. Otherwise, there would have been a queue of suitors forming once his slide starter rather than the signal-caller falling completely out of favor.

Levis will land somewhere. But it would be a bombshell of epic proportions if that ended up being Washington all things considered.