The football world had a critical reaction to the Tennessee Titans naming young quarterback Will Levis as their starter for the 2023 season, with many deeming it a rash decision. But the playmaker out of Kentucky showed splashes of brilliance in the 9 games he started, impressing many, including Pete Prisco of CBS Sports, who does not doubt the young player’s ability to answer the criticism.
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While speaking on the NFL on CBS, Prisco declared his support for Levis and claimed that, in his opinion, he should have been the number one pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Prisco admires the QB’s passing abilities, his physical attributes, and his towering stature so much that he went on to liken the QB to the Bills’ Josh Allen.
Allen faced similar skepticism during his early years in Orchard Park but later silenced critics with four consecutive 40+ touchdown seasons and leading the team to the playoffs each year except his rookie season. And Prisco believes we might see something similar from Levis in the coming year.
The analyst said:
“When Will Levis came out, he was picked to shreds by the draft analysts. Well, you know who else was? Josh Allen, way back in the day. Yes that Josh Allen, the star quarterback for the Buffalo Bills.”
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Notably, Levis stands at 6’4″, weighs 229 lbs, and had one of the best athleticism scores in the 2023 NFL draft combine. In the 9 games he started last year, the rookie quarterback wasn’t able to make a huge impact because of the team’s weak offensive line.
So, this year, Coach Brian Callahan and GM Ran Carthon have added talents like center Lloyd Cushenberry and tackle JC Latham to improve the QB’s protection. They also brought in WR Calvin Ridley on a $92 million deal and Tyler Boyd to complement DeAndre Hopkins in the receiving corps. RB Tony Pollard is another exciting addition for fans to look forward to.
The star quarterback has been honing his skills as well. In the preseason, Levis’s reassuring performance gave the team a glimpse of what they can expect in the 2024 season and beyond.
Will Levis looks back at the preseason form, and what he expects in Week I
After defeating the Saints (30-27) in the final preseason game, Levis expressed excitement with how the team has been able to hold its own against opponents and showed optimism for their season opener bout against the Bears.
While he did acknowledge that a 3-0 record doesn’t translate to anything in the preseason, he was still very proud of his roster, saying,
“We did what we wanted to out here, to get us amped up and ready for Week 1 [against the Bears]. We were clean with our operation, from top to bottom. I’m proud of how the guys went out there and played. And it was awesome to see guys go out there and make some plays.”
The preseason was a test of the coach’s trust in the young quarterback and the team’s rejuvenated offensive squad. With 7 out of 8 complete passes for 118 yards, the QB displayed accuracy and coordination with the new teammates, proving the coach right and indicating a strong season ahead.
