Potential second round landing spots for Will Levis in NFL Draft
I’m not sure anyone saw this coming. When Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft begins on Friday night in Kansas City, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis will be the top available prospect on nearly everyone’s big board.
The worst case scenario arrived on Thursday for Kentucky’s two-year starter behind center and now all signs point to the 6-foot-4 rocket armed passer becoming one of the quarterbacks selected in the second round.
Where will Levis land? We’re going to dig into that as a familiar franchise in Los Angeles could emerge as a top option.
Detroit Lions (No. 34, 48, and 55)
The Detroit Lions enter the season as the favorites to win the NFC North. The vibes are strong for third-year head coach Dan Campbell. However, general manager Brad Holmes had a downright strange draft after an outstanding performance last season. Detroit appeared to reach for Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12) and Jack Campbell (No. 18) at two non-premium positions (running back and off-ball linebacker). Jared Goff will turn 29 years old during the 2023 season and has just two years left on his deal.
The Lions own three second-round picks and could afford to take a swing at quarterback. Could Will Levis emerge as an option for Holmes?
Los Angeles Rams (No. 36)
Matthew Stafford is 35 years old and has some real injury concerns. The Rams don’t have a solid backup plan in case the former No. 1 overall pick gets hurt again. Los Angeles needs to leave this draft with a quarterback. Taking Will Levis should be something that is talked about in the Rams’ war room.
The Kentucky quarterback ran Sean McVay’s offense in Lexington and there is the obvious connection for offensive coordinator Liam Coen who left Los Angeles on two separate occasions to work for Mark Stoops. Levis has been comped to Stafford during this pre-draft process and could make sense as a developmental QB2 that could eventually replace Stafford.
Seattle Seahawks (No. 37 and No. 52)
Seattle just signed Geno Smith to an extension and seems set at quarterback. However, the NFC West franchise has a boatload picks.
General manager John Schneider took Devon Witherspoon (No. 5) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (No. 20) to upgrade the roster. With two second-round selections, Seattle could afford to take a swing on a quarterback that many had a first-round grade on. The Seahawks had a heavy presence at Kentucky’s pro day and could take a long look at Levis twice in the second round.
Las Vegas Raiders (No. 38)
As soon as Las Vegas inked Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year deal, that likely took the franchise out of the quarterback market. The Raiders have some major defensive needs, but the AFC West franchise owns 13 Day 2 and Day 3 picks to fill those holes. Getting a quality backup for a quarterback that has been injury prone could be wise.
Las Vegas has shown interest in Will Levis throughout the process and are a candidate to take a swing on the quarterback early in the second round.
Tennessee Titans (No. 41)
Tennessee addressed offensive line in the first round by tackle Northwestern guard/tackle Peter Skoronski at No. 11 overall. There has long been a thought that new general manager Ran Carthon could look to get a quarterback this offseason with Ryan Tannehill entering the final year of his contract.
The Titans have expressed some interest in Will Levis during the draft process and could take a swing on the Kentucky product at No. 41.
Green Bay Packers (No. 42 and No. 45)
The Aaron Rodgers era is finally over in Green Bay. Head coach Matt LaFleur will finally hand the keys to former first-round pick Jordan Love who is entering year four of his rookie contract that has a team option for year five.
General manager Brian Gutekunst still has 11 more picks in this draft with two coming in the second round. There is not a clear backup plan if the Love experience does not go well. LaFleur is a former Sean McVay assistant so there could be some playbook familiarity with what Will Levis did at Kentucky. Could Green Bay take a swing on the Kentucky QB?
Atlanta Falcons (No. 44)
Atlanta has decided to roll the dice with former third-round pick Desmond Ridder. The Falcons signed free agent Taylor Heinicke for insurance in case things don’t go well. Will Levis landing in Atlanta is a longshot.
However, the Falcons had a ton of cap space and were able to address defense via free agency in a big way. With Levis falling, Atlanta could decide to take a swing on a quarterback with a ton of traits.
New England Patriots (No. 46)
Another longshot, New England enters the season with former first-round pick Mac Jones at quarterback. New offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien should give the former Alabama star a better shot at success. Meanwhile, folks are still high on former fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe.
This likely won’t be the destination, but Bill Belichick is a wild card. Will Levis could give the AFC East organization another option at this premium position.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 50)
The Tom Brady retirement has put Tampa Bay in rebuild mode. The Bucs signed Baker Mayfield to a one-year deal in the offseason, but do not have a long-term answer at quarterback. This one actually would make a lot of sense for Will Levis.
After addressing defense in round one, the Bucs now must look to offense soon. Taking a swing on Levis as a high upside play could make sense for a franchise that must reset its roster before making another deep playoff push.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard