Kentucky quarterback Will Levis was a hot name in the run-up to this year’s NFL draft, with professional and amateur pundits alike suggesting he was poised to go in the top 10.
That did not come to pass, and Levis slid as quarterbacks Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson linked up with the Panthers, Texans and Colts, respectively.
The development came as a bit of a shock considering how highly many observers regarded Levis—including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who suggested Houston take him at No. 2—but was in line with his 2022 numbers. Levis finished with 19 touchdowns against 10 interceptions in 2022.
Social media had plenty to say about one of the more memorable draft free falls in recent memory.
ESPN, for its part, went out of its way to stress the unlikely nature of Levis’s fall.
Complete with ESPN analytics updates about how there was less than a 1% chance Will Levis would still be available by pick 22. 🏈📺#NFLDraft https://t.co/swvsvr8khv pic.twitter.com/FcGcGx96Ac
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 28, 2023
Levis seemed content to chill with his loved ones in the green room.
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) April 28, 2023
Some chided the draft-industrial complex for hyping up Levis so much in the first place.
So because of the Will Levis hype that never made sense to begin with, Will
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) April 28, 2023
Levis is getting the “last green room guy left” treatment on TV.
Many references were made to the anonymous Reddit report earlier in the week that Carolina would take Levis at No. 1, which shifted the betting market for a time.
me after trusting the guy on Reddit who said Will Levis was telling his family and friends that he was the #1 pick pic.twitter.com/vdkN4vtAav
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) April 28, 2023
Anonymous Reddit guy’s draft eval of Will Levis getting crushed
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) April 28, 2023
Where Levis will end up remains to be seen.
