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0 Will Levis‘ stay in the NFL Draft green room may be over, but the Kentucky quarterback is still waiting to learn where he’ll be playing after going unpicked in the first round.
Once considered a top-five prospect, a despondent Levis became the focus of attention on Thursday night in Kansas City as three other quarterbacks were picked ahead of him. As a result, he has opted against attending the second night of the NFL Draft on Friday, where the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to kick things off with the No. 32 pick shortly after 7pm EST.
Bryce Young went first overall to the Carolina Panthers followed by C.J. Stroud to the Houston Texans for a 1-2 quarterback combo at the top of the draft Thursday. Then, with the fourth pick, the Indianapolis Colts took former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Colts owner Jim Irsay is raising eyebrows on Twitter hours before the start of the second round of the NFL draft by asking fans if the team should take Levis for a Joe Montana-Steve Young QB combo. The Colts have the fourth pick in the second round, the 35th overall.
Montana and Young are both Pro Football Hall of Famers who won Super Bowls in San Francisco. Young was Montana’s backup before replacing him.
The 23-year-old, was joined by his girlfriend Gia Duddy, was expected to be a top-five pick
NO THANKS: Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, 23, was overlooked on draft night on Thursday
Will Levis played for Kentucky in 2022 and 2021 after representing UPenn in 2019 and 2020
The Kentucky quarterback was projected as high as the second overall pick. Instead, he’s heading to Round 2 still waiting for a team to buzz his phone, writes AP’s Arnie Stapleton.
Levis sat uncomfortably, sometimes squirming in front of the TV cameras, as he watched three quarterbacks picked in the first four selections: Young to the Panthers, Stroud to the Texans and Richardson to the Colts.
‘Not shocked — surprised,’ said ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., who had projected Levis as a top-four pick. ‘Once it got into that no-man’s land because there was nobody needing a quarterback mid-round, I thought maybe somebody would jump back in. Maybe the Rams would.
‘But the Rams pick early in the second round. Maybe they look at Will Levis,’ Kiper said. ‘You know, he had the banged up year. Head to toe he was beat up, didn’t play nearly as well as he did in 2021, for obvious reasons — he was hurt, he couldn’t move. So, I guess teams held that against him more than I thought they would.’
Other mock drafters figured Levis could go as high as No. 2 overall.
‘We all thought he’d be a first-round pick,’ Kiper said, figuring at worst that Levis would drop to Tampa Bay at No. 19. ‘Well, he got down a lot further than that. He’s available in the second round.’
Just like Boomer Esiason, Brett Favre and Geno Smith once were.
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) throws a pass against Kentucky on October 29
Quarterbacks were back en vogue in Round 1 of the NFL draft — except for Levis and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, another intriguing prospect still on the board after being bypassed on a wild Thursday night that featured several surprising swaps, two running backs selected among the top dozen picks and a late run on a thin class of wide receivers.
WHO ARE THE BEST PLAYERS AVAILABLE?
Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker is another intriguing prospect still on the board after being bypassed on a wild Thursday night that featured several surprising swaps, two running backs selected among the top dozen picks and a late run on a thin class of wide receivers.
Hooker is coming off a torn ACL in November, so slipping into Day 2 was only a mild surprise for the 25-year-old passer who’s hurdled concerns about his health, age and playing style this spring, just not enough to go in the first round.
Other players expected to go in the second round include tight ends Michael Mayer (Notre Dame) and Luke Musgrave (Oregon State), cornerbacks Brian Branch (Alabama), Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State) and Kelee Ringo (Georgia), and guard O’Cyrus Torrence (Florida).
WHO’S ON THE CLOCK IN THE SECOND ROUND?
The Steelers, Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions have the first three picks in Round 2.
The Los Angeles Rams (36th overall) and Miami Dolphins (51st) jump into action in Round 2 after being spectators on Thursday night. The Rams traded away their first-round pick and the Dolphins were punished by the league for tampering.
The Denver Broncos (67th) and Cleveland Browns (74th) must wait for the third round, barring a trade to move up.
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer is expected to be taken in the second round on Friday
DRAFT PICKS SO FAR
AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo breaks down all 31 first-round picks, including Alabama defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was once projected to be the first overall pick and went ninth to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Carter’s stock dropped after pleading no contest to two misdemeanors (reckless driving and racing) and being sentenced to a year of probation and community service in March on charges related to an automobile accident that killed a Georgia teammate and football staffer.
Young, Stroud, Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. (Texans), Richardson and Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon (Seattle Seahawks) were the top five selections. Meanwhile, Kansas State defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah was the last player picked in the first round by the Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs.
