Why did potential NFL Draft #1 pick Will Levis drop to second round? Possible reasons explained
Will Levis was not a happy man as the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft concluded and the former Kentucky quarterback was one of the biggest surprises of the night, as not only wasn't he picked in the top 10 as expected but he was not picked at all.
Levis was a possible pick for the Indianapolis Colts at #4, but the Colts decided to go with quarterback Anthony Richardson from Florida instead. Later, the Las Vegas Raiders had a chance to take the quarterback at #7, but they decided to go with edge defender Tyree Wilson from Texas Tech.
As the night advanced, Levis was looking more and more concerned next to his entourage about what was happening. Of all the players that missed out on being a first-round pick, his name was by far the biggest surprise, especially as most analysts were expecting a run for the Fab Four of quarterbacks of the class.
Bryce Young went first overall, C.J. Stroud was chosen right next and Richardson was selected two picks later. It was weird to see what was happening with the Kentucky Wildcats star, but word came out on Twitter that he has been dealing with a toe injury for a while and teams have been concerned about the injury
Possible injury concern might have dropped Will Levis from the first round
He was a hotly-debated prospect from the start, so it's not exactly absurd that he was not a first-round pick. Still, his strong arm and athleticism were building his draft stock through the roof, and everybody expected him to be picked in the top 10.
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… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Was the toe concern the sole reason why teams were wary of drafting him? It's unclear, but it might have been a reason, especially for teams with early picks that may not want to spend a high pick on him with the possibility of surgery looming on the horizon.
For now, Levis' nightmare will continue for at least one more night. If it was nearly impossible for him to drop out of the first round, then it's impossible for him to go through two more rounds without a new home. He's a top quarterback prospect and these guys are highly coveted, so his wait will end tomorrow.