Mel Kiper Jr. discussed the NFL Draft prospects of Kentucky quarterback Will Levis during ESPN’s “First Draft” podcast on Thursday.

Many are pointing to Levis as a high 1st round pick, with CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso projecting him to go No. 1 overall. That’s despite a departure in 2022 from the form that made him such an intriguing option.

That shouldn’t discourage teams, Kiper stated.

“Physically, you can draw up an NFL quarterback, he’s that guy. The size, the stature, the arm, the way he spins it to make every throw, the toughness, the ability to beat you with his legs. He is a running dual-threat quarterback,” he said.

As far as Levis’ struggles, Kiper pointed to the Wildcats’ loss of talent at offensive line, pointing to Luke Fortner and Darian Kinnard as key figures that Levis benefitted from in 2021 that he didn’t have in 2022. Injuries also took their toll on him, part of the reason why he opted out of the Wildcats’ bowl game, but he still participated in meetings and was essentially “another coach”.

“How he got on the field, I don’t know. How he finished the year, I don’t know…This guy is passionate about the game, loves the game,” Kiper said.