Will Levis 2023 NFL Draft second-round odds: Kentucky quarterback now favored to land with Titans or Rams

No doubt the biggest player surprise from the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday from Kansas City was that Kentucky quarterback Will Levis was not picked. Just a few days ago, a Reddit post about Levis reportedly telling friends he would be chosen by Carolina blew up the internet to the point that sportsbooks shifted him into the second-favored role to go first overall, although that didn't last too long. With Rounds 2 and 3 on tap tonight, DraftKings has the Titans and Rams as +350 favorites to take Levis, regardless of at which specific slot.

Incidentally, that Levis didn't go off the board Thursday -- and he was in the green room on the broadcast -- means that no Kentucky QB has gone in Round 1 since Tim Couch was the No. 1 overall pick to Cleveland in 1999. Levis is not the highest-ranked player on the CBS Sports Big Board still available -- he's ranked 18th, while Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is 12th and Alabama safety Brian Branch 17th.

Levis, who is 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, has drawn comps to Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen with his strong arm and above-average mobility. Levis has some accuracy issues, as did Allen out of Wyoming.

One of the most envious spots to be in for any NFL Draft is holding the first pick in Round 2. Teams were able to reset their draft boards overnight and call the general manager set to open Round 2 to negotiate for the pick if a coveted player remains on the board. The Steelers hold that pick currently -- it's No. 32 instead of the usual 33 because the Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick -- and will not be taking Levis, as they have Kenny Pickett under center. The NFL Network to no surprise is reporting that teams are calling Pittsburgh about the pick.

The Rams pick 36th and don't have a long-term solution behind Matthew Stafford, who is coming off a serious spinal cord contusion that limited him to nine games in 2022. The 35-year-old Stafford didn't look particularly good when he did play.

Tennessee sits at No. 41 and reports are that the team wants to move on from Ryan Tannehill. It had been linked to taking Levis at No. 11, but instead went with Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski. Perhaps the Titans might prefer in-state QB Hendon Hooker of the Volunteers? He was also widely expected to be a first-round pick, but not until at least the 20s.

The Raiders are +800 third favorites on this prop, followed by a drop-off to the Lions (+1400), Buccaneers (+1400), Commanders (+1400) and Seahawks (+1400). Detroit has the highest second round-pick of those teams at No. 34 overall but also has Jared Goff coming off a career year.

It would be incredibly interesting and draw quite the reaction on ESPN tonight if New England (+1600), Green Bay (+1600) or Dallas (+2000) took Levis. SportsLine Draft expert RJ White does have Levis to the Patriots as the best value bet.

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