The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft wasn’t kind to Kentucky quarterback Will Levis. The young gunslinger arrived all suited up with his family and girlfriend in hopes of getting picked. He was predicted to be a top-15 pick, and some even had him at No.2 overall. However, he slid down the draft into round two.
Thankfully, the Tennessee Titans moved up the draft and selected Will Levis 33rd overall. After a humiliating experience on day one, Levis wasn’t present in the green room on day two. He was with his family in Connecticut for a family function when he got the call about his selection.
He said via The Guardian, “I was a crying mess but it was so funny. We’re all in our airport clothes, a very different atmosphere compared to getting dressed up with the nice suits and dresses last night. But this is what was meant to be and I was ecstatic to get the call.”
Will Levis’ girlfriend Gia Duddy, was also excited to see her partner finally have his moment. Duddy expressed her excitement as she shared the post of Will Levis on the NFL’s Instagram handle. She wrote on her story, “Lets ride @will_levis @titans.”
Gia Duddy also shared two other posts welcoming her and Will Levis to the Titans and the city of Nashville. The budding social media influencer was also present with her beau on the first day of the draft and had the same look of disappointment on her face when he didn’t get picked. Finally, Levis had his dream come true and Duddy couldn’t be happier.
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Why was Will Levis not picked in the first round of the draft?
Will Levis was projected by draft gurus to be a top 15 pick in the first round. Some said he might skip down to 20, but not below that. However, on D-Day, teams passed him over like a kid who passes over his veggies. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said on Thursday, “Will Levis’ left toe that caused him to miss two games last year was ‘problematic’ for one team that considered him. Levis says the ‘toe has healed’ and good to go. Another team believes Levis could manage it but thought surgery would need discussion after season. Levis disagrees.”
There were also reports that his personality might be one of the hindering factors for teams to not waste their first-round pick on him. ESPN draft expert Todd McShay said on SportsCenter that he was a bit too cocky and full of himself during team meetings, which turned out to be a big red flag for some organizations.
McShay added, “Ultimately the turnovers and style of play is an issue, too. He plays the quarterback position like a linebacker and we saw the toll it had on his body last year. A lot of teams I talked to were worried he was going to have a Carson Wentz case when it’s all said and done if he doesn’t learn how to protect his body better.”
Additionally, his accuracy and mechanics also played a major role in his draft day slide. While Levis has got the arm strength teams are concerned, he won’t be able to thread the needle when push comes to shove in clutch moments.
The Titans have selected him now, but the quarterback situation there is quite dicey. The job is probably up for grabs and there will be competition among veteran Ryan Tannehill and second-year Malik Willis and rookie Will Levis. Let’s see if the guy who adds mayonnaise in his coffee becomes the starting for the Titans in Week 1 or not.
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