Todd McShay: NFL scouts have strong opinions on Bryce Young, Will Levis debate

When it comes to the top of the 2023 quarterback class for the NFL Draft, there is a trio that’s clear-cut above the rest according to ESPN’s Todd McShay: Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, Alabama’s Bryce Young and Kentucky’s Will Levis. But speaking on the “Paul Finebaum Show” along with Sean McDonough on Friday afternoon ahead of Kentucky’s game at Ole Miss, McShay shared that the order is subject for fierce debate.

In short: Don’t be surprised if Levis is taken before Young in the 2023 NFL Draft. A number of NFL scouts have the Levis ranked higher on their boards than Young, according to McShay, and some even consider the Kentucky quarterback to be the top quarterback prospect in the class.

McDonough — who will be on the Kentucky-Ole Miss broadcast with McShay — prompted McShay to explain why that’s the case.

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“It is size,” McShay said. “And everyone says, ‘Well, you look at some of the smaller quarterbacks in the league,’ but they’re all kind of thicker and built. He’s lean and shorter.”

Levis is the prototypical quarterback for the modern NFL with his unique pairing of mobility and size — he’s 6-foot-3 and about 230 pounds.

Young, on the other hand, is obviously quite slight. Fair or not, his diminutive stature brings him down a notch or more in the eyes of NFL evaluators — though you’d be a fool to say his play has not been up to snuff. The man won the Heisman trophy in 2021, lest we forget.

“A scout I talked to said they had him between 5’10” and 5’11”, and at 186 pounds he weighed in that day in summer,” McShay said. “It takes someone who is unique and special to overcome those things, I think he’s those things. I really believe that.”