INDIANAPOLIS – Next up: Will Levis.
The next step in the Indianapolis Colts’ search for a quarterback of the future took them to Lexington, Ky.
The team’s top personnel staff put Will Levis through a private workout Thursday morning, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Senior NFL reporter Albert Breer reported the Colts’ contingent included general manager Chris Ballard, coach Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, quarterbacks coach Cam turner, assistant general manager Ed Dobbs and director of college scouting Matt Terpening.
The team worked out Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud on Monday in Southern California.
The Colts hold the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and are looking for a quarterback to lead the franchise back to prominence.
They’ve dealt with a revolving door at the position since Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement prior to the start of the 2019 season. The Colts will have a sixth different primary starter when they open the 2023 season in September.
“We all know the importance of the position,’’ Ballard said in a meeting with Indy media covering the owners’ meetings last week in Phoenix. “People are willing to do about whatever it takes to get their hands on one. There’s no guarantee you’re going to be right. You want to be right.’’
Steichen told the media the Colts will be doing their “due diligence’’ in the weeks leading up to the April 27 NFL draft.
That clearly includes Levis, who possesses a strong arm and tantalizing size at 6-3, 232 pounds. Draft analysts have compared him to Buffalo’s Josh Allen.
The past two seasons at Kentucky, Levis passed for 5,233 yards and 43 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. He completed at least 65.4% of his attempts each season even though he dealt with foot and shoulder injuries last season.
“Season didn’t go as well as we would have wanted it to,’’ Levis said at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. “But I learned a lot from it. Learned how to kind of battle through adversity and dealt with a lot of things physically. Situationally, that was tough. But I became a better player because of it.’’
Levis drew attention to himself when he explained why he planned on participating in on-field drills at the Combine.
“Because I got a cannon and I want to show it off,’’ he replied.
The longer he talked with the media, the more his confidence oozed to the surface.
“My goal is to win more than anybody. I want to be the greatest of all time,’’ he said. “I think you’re crazy is you don’t think that way.
“I think physically, I just have my arm talent. I think I’ve got one of the stronger arms to come out of any draft class in recent memory.’’
And what might be bring to whichever team selects him April 27?
“Right now I can bring them a championship,’’ he said. “That’s the confidence I have. I think I’m able to assimilate myself very, very well, I believe. That’s the confidence I have due to my experience and due to my physical tools.
“I think that I’m immediately able to be plugged into any offense, learn it well and become a leader very quickly for whatever team I play for. But obviously the goal is to progress. I want to get better every year. I’m not expecting myself to be the best quarterback in the league right off the bat. That’s just want development is all about.’’
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.
