Patriots fans might want to pump the brakes on the Will Levis hype.
New England made headlines last week after hosting Levis for a pre-NFL draft visit. The Kentucky product is one of the top quarterbacks available in the 2023 NFL Draft, with many experts believing he could be a top 10 pick.
But even if the Patriots are considering replacing Mac Jones, it doesn't sound as if they believe Levis is the man for the job.
"A Patriots source confirmed the multiple reports that Kentucky quarterback Will Levis met with the team for a top-30 visit," Fox Sports' Henry McKenna wrote Thursday. "While Levis had a strong interview in New England, he didn't wow team executives to a level where they are prepared to select him at No. 14 overall and trigger a massive shift in their quarterback plans."
McKenna also shared this interesting nugget:
"If New England were to target a quarterback in this class, it might look at Hendon Hooker, who is a favorite of at least one staffer."
Hooker currently is working his way back from a torn ACL but still is considered a high-end prospect. Some mock drafts have the athletic Tennessee product going in the first round, while others identify Hooker as a likely Day 2 pick.
As for Levis, it's worth noting that NFL Media's Mike Giardi reported that the Patriots have "real interest" in the 6-foot-3, 230-pound signal-caller. McKenna's report obviously paints a different picture. Such is the nature of pre-draft reporting.
The NFL draft is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. on Thursday. You can click here for our final Patriots mock draft.