Will Levis’ predictable slide prevented an NFL Draft record

With Kentucky’s Will Levis not being a top-31 pick, his crazy, ridiculous slide prevented what could have been a really cool NFL Draft record.

The only thing we know heading into day two of the 2023 NFL Draft is former Kentucky quarterback Will Levis will never be afforded a fifth-year option.

Despite potentially going as high as No. 4 to the Indianapolis Colts, Levis remains undrafted heading into day two. It was probably really embarrassing for him and his family to sit in the Kansas City green room and not hear his name be called, but these things happen. He will be picked by somebody before the end of the night on Friday, but this was brutal to watch unfold.

Fate would have it, Levis not being a first-round pick did prevent something pretty cool from potentially happening. Had he gone No. 4 to the Colts and Anthony Richardson instead went No. 5 to the Seattle Seahawks, it would have been the first time four quarterbacks went inside of the top five. To date, only four times have three gone inside of the top five, including last night’s draft.

The bad news for Richardson, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud is the signal-callers from yesteryear they are being compared to were never Pro Football Hall of Fame worthy. Archie Manning is a college football legend, Jim Plunkett won two Super Bowls and Donovan McNabb belongs in the Hall of Very Good, but there are no bronze busts in Canton to be had. Let’s just keep that in mind.

The big question now is who is going to end up drafting Levis in day two of the 2023 NFL Draft?

Will Levis’ NFL Draft slide prevented an unprecedented record from happening

I think a lot of the teams who passed on him in day one of the draft will look very hard at taking Levis early in day two. The teams that jump off the page to me are the Las Vegas Raiders, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans. All of whom do not have a long-term solution at the quarterback position, but offer a high-quality bridge in-house who can help bring Levis along.

Of those three, I think the Raiders make the most sense. Josh McDaniels is an offensive-minded head coach. While Jimmy Garoppolo is one of the guys, he gets hurt pretty much every year. Levis may not be the quintessential rebel, but I think his brand does play in pretty favorably with the Silver and Black. Keep in mind Derek Carr was a saint before he left for the New Orleans Saints.

I think what Levis’ draft slide showed us is there is a clear cut-off line for quarterbacks who are first-rounders and those who are not. Levis wasn’t alone in not going top-31. Fellow SEC star Hendon Hooker could have gone as high as No. 11 to the in-state Tennessee Titans, but even he has to wait another day to hear his name called. Levis will end up going to a team who wants him.

You never want to see a young man’s dream get crushed like that, but that was so hard to watch…