Ryan Leaf is very familiar with the expectations of being a high draft pick.
Leaf was the No. 2 overall pick of the San Diego Chargers in the 1998 NFL Draft, only Peyton Manning was selected in front of him in his draft class.
His NFL career lasted three seasons due to injuries and off-the-field issues.
He is commonly knowns as a draft bust which was something that it took him years to come to terms with.
That’s why his perspective on Will Levis falling out of the first round in the 2023 NFL Draft is very interesting.
What Leaf Said
Leaf believes that Levis is a winner in the NFL Draft so far.
Who "won" round 1 of the #NFLDraft ??@RyanDLeaf says it was actually 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘓𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴 pic.twitter.com/gjZfQktW3j
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 28, 2023
He says he does not wish for anyone to go through the draft day turmoil with the camera shining brightly on him.
However, in the long run, Levis may be better off.
Being a first-round draft pick comes with a lot of pressure and expectations.
Turning into a draft bust is a possibility.
And there is nothing stopping a later-round draft pick from having a successful NFL career.
It has happened before and will happen again.
Leaf points to Drew Brees, Derek Carr, and of course, Tom Brady as success stories of quarterbacks drafted in later rounds.
It is too early to evaluate, but Brock Purdy could be on a similar path.
Levis Is Being Compared To Baker Mayfield
The fact that an unnamed scout is comparing Levis to 2018 No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield is interesting.
Scout told us a moment ago he told his GM that if you pick Will Levis it's Baker Mayfield 2.0
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) April 28, 2023
Levis is taller at 6’4″ compared to Mayfield’s 6’1″.
Mayfield has had a rocky road since 2022, but prior to that was entrenched as the Cleveland Browns QB1.
He won a playoff game with the Browns in 2021.
Levis Left Town
We do not know where and when Levis will be drafted, but we do know that he is not planning to stick around Kansas City to find out.
He has reportedly left town and will watch the draft from a less prominent location where his every move is not being dissected.
That is a wise choice though hopefully his name will be called sooner rather than later so he can get on with the next steps of building his NFL career.
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