4. Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
In my mind, you have to project quite a lot to go exactly correctly for Levis, for him to get into this position. But these rankings aren’t about what I would do; instead, they’re about where I think scouts and front offices are at right now. I am telling you this right now so that you’re prepared for it when it happens: someone is going to fall in love with Will Levis. It is going to happen, there is not a single shred of doubt in my mind.
Levis has so many tools, and such an elite level of athleticism, that teams aren’t going to be able to help themselves. Right now, he is an athlete player quarterback, rather than any sort of field general, but there is a solid chance he develops into a real live signal-caller with mechanics and skill, rather than simply someone using his superior athletic prowess to the best of his abilities. Do I personally think Levis is No. 1 pick-worthy yet? Absolutely not, clearly. But I understand the possibility that, with another season of development, it could certainly happen.
5. Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson
Myles Murphy is a freak of nature, and it’s awesome. I wasn’t super familiar with his tape before just a couple weeks ago, but I’ve become obsessed with his game since then. Murphy has the other-worldly blend of size, speed, and strength that you look for in a defender worthy of the top pick, and I believe there’s still potential to be unlocked with him. What Murphy could be is unbelievable, and he’s already a wildly good football player.
Much like Anderson, Murphy’s barrier to entry into the No. 1 overall pick club is just that he doesn’t play the right position. There are only three positions that NFL teams have deemed “worthy” of the No. 1 pick. Quarterback, edge rusher, and left tackle. Murphy does play one of those positions, but even then, he doesn’t play quarterback. Defensive ends and left tackles only come into play when there are no quarterbacks worthy of the top pick. That is not the case this year. It’s a shame, but that’s the way football is.
6. Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Much like Will Levis’s entry on this list, I’m projecting a lot here in saying that Anthony Richardson is worthy to be the top pick in this draft. He certainly isn’t ready yet. We’ve barely seen anything from Richardson at all in college, outside of last season. And yet, the Gainesville, Florida native has completely captivated me. Richardson’s arm talent is second to none in this class. He can make any throw you ask him to, and he could even throw the football over those mountains over there, if Napoleon Dynamite‘s Uncle Rico asked him to.
The problem here is that Richardson is so, so raw as a prospect. There are shades of Josh Allen in his game, for both better and worse. Now, Allen is of course, one of one. There is no one like him in the game of football, and Richardson won’t be challenging that claim. But, Richardson has a similar blend of physical talents, with the caveat that he’s freelancing a lot of the time, doesn’t really know what he’s doing yet, and generally hasn’t had enough time to marinate in the juices of the game of football. But the fact remains that NFL teams are going to love Richardson’s potential, much like they’ll fall in love with Levis at Kentucky. It’s going to happen, so we might as well start #LevisWatch and #RichardsonWatch right now.
Narcissistic Penguin 
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