Will Levis has set a high goal for 2022. Here’s the quarterback group he would join.
For my Sunday column, I wrote about the NFL Draft buzz over Will Levis. The Kentucky quarterback said this spring he wants to raise his completion percentage from 66% in 2021 to 70% in 2022.
I looked up the FBS quarterbacks who have completed 70% of their passes in the past three seasons. It’s a stellar list.
2021
Will Rogers, Mississippi State, 73.9% — As a sophomore in Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense, Rogers completed 505 of 683 passes for 4,739 yards with 36 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. The Bulldogs ended up 7-6.
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, 73.0% — As a sophomore, the Chanticleers’ quarterback hit on 176 of 241 passes for 2,873 yards and 27 touchdowns with just three interceptions. Coastal Carolina went 11-2 last season.
CJ Stroud, Ohio State, 71.9% — The Buckeyes’ quarterback was 317-for-441 through the air for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns with six interceptions. Ohio State finished 11-2.
Aidan O’Connell, Purdue, 71.8% — Playing in Jeff Brohm’s high-octane offense, O’Connell was 315 of 439 for 3,708 yards and 28 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Purdue finished 9-4. O’Connell will be one of the top senior quarterbacks in 2022.
Brock Purdy, Iowa State, 71.7% — Purdy was 292 of 402 for 3,188 yards and 19 touchdowns with eight interceptions as the Cyclones finished 7-6. Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant in the NFL Draft, taken with the very last pick by the San Francisco 49ers.
[A deep dive into the 49ers’ Mr. Irrelevant]
Jake Bentley, South Alabama, 70.0% — The well-traveled Bentley completed 212 of 303 passes for 2,476 yards and 17 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Bentley played at South Carolina and Utah before finishing his college career at USA. He’s now a graduate assistant coach at Florida Atlantic.
Carson Strong, Nevada, 70.0% — Playing in offensive coordinator Matt Mumme’s offense, Strong completed 366 of 523 passes for 4,175 yards and 36 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Strong signed as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Note: Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young completed 66.8% of his passes at Alabama.
2020
Mac Jones, Alabama, 77.4% — Leading Alabama to the national title, Jones completed 311 of 402 passes for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns with four interceptions. Jones was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of 2021 draft and started every game for the Pats last season.
Zach Wilson, BYU, 73.5% — Wilson completed 247 of 336 passes for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns with three interceptions for the Cougars. He was the No. 2 overall selection in the 2021 draft by the New York Jets.
Dustin Crum, Kent State, 73.5% — Crum played in just four games for Kent State in 2020, but he completed 83 of 113 passes for 1,181 yards with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s currently on the Kansas City Chiefs roster.
Adrian Martinez, Nebraska, 71.5% — Throwing to Wan’Dale Robinson, among others, Martinez hit on 108 of 151 passes for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns with three interceptions. Martinez is currently at Kansas State.
Matt Corral, Ole Miss, 70.9% — During his sophomore season, Corral completed 231 of 326 passes for 3,337 yards and 29 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. Corral was a third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2022 draft.
Justin Fields, Ohio State, 70.2% — While leading Ohio State to the 2020 national title game, Fields completed 158 of 225 passes for 2,100 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. He was a first-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2021.
Carson Strong, Nevada, 70.1% — In his sophomore season, Strong connected on 249 of 355 passes for 2,858 yards with 27 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Gunnar Watson, Troy, 70.1% — As a sophomore in 2020, Watson completed 211 of 301 passes for 2,141 yards and 16 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He’s preparing as the Trojans’ quarterback for 2022.
[Troy coach Jon Sumrall explains why he’ll coach with UK in the Citrus Bowl]
2019
Joe Burrow, LSU, 76.3% — Burrow produced one of the greatest college football seasons of all time in 2019. He completed 402 of 527 passes for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns with six interceptions. LSU won the national championship. Burrow was the No. 1 overall pick of the Cincinnati Bengals. And, two years later, the Bengals were in the Super Bowl.
[Joe Burrow: Police tried to arrest LSU players for smoking cigars]
Tyler Huntley, Utah, 73.1% — As a senior, Huntley completed 220 of 301 passes for 3,092 yards and 19 touchdowns with four interceptions. Huntley signed as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens. With Lamar Jackson injured, Huntley started four games for the Ravens last season.
Kedon Slovis, USC, 71.9% — As a freshman, Slovis completed 282 of 392 passes for 3,502 yards and 30 touchdowns with nine interceptions. After a rocky sophomore year in 2021, Slovis transferred to Pittsburgh, where he is expected to be the replacement for Kenny Pickett, first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers last month.
Anthony Gordon, Washington State, 71.8% — In his last year at Washington State, Mike Leach saw Gordon complete 493 of 687 passes for 5,579 yards and 48 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. Gordon is currently on the roster of the Kansas City Chiefs.
A couple of other notables:
▪ Gardner Minshew, now the backup quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles, completed 70.7% of his passes at Washington State in 2018.
▪ There was only one FBS quarterback who completed 70% of his passes in 2017. That was Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma. Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy and was the No. 1 overall pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2018.
This story was originally published May 23, 2022 at 10:34 AM.
