One of the more memorable moments from the 2023 NFL draft will be the video of new Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis sitting around looking sad on Day 1 of the event after he unexpectedly slid out of the first round despite being one of the prospects invited to attend.
Well, I say unexpectedly based on the view of the media in general, which mostly had Levis going in the first round, especially close to the draft.
Of course, how the media feels and where teams stand don’t always match up, and chances are the hype around Levis going on Day 1 was more of an unintentional media construct than something that was truly concrete.
According to ESPN Analytics, there was a 92% chance that Will Levis was going to be picked in the top 10. pic.twitter.com/DGUE6xG6EG
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 28, 2023
It is important to note, however, that the Titans were one of multiple teams that tried to trade back into the first round, so it’s possible Levis would’ve been a first-round pick had Tennessee or another team pulled that off.
Nevertheless, Levis’ perceived slide has left him with “a little bit of a chip” on his shoulder as he embarks on his journey with the Titans.
“I think, regardless of where I got picked, I feel like it’s not going to change my work ethic, regardless if I went first overall or 33rd,” Levis explained. “You can’t let the circumstances dictate your preparation and the level of intensity you bring to your everyday practice.
“Definitely, a little bit of a chip, but I just know that I was going to work hard regardless of where I got picked.”
Wait until Levis sees the reaction from Titans fans, if he hasn’t done so already. It might increase the size of that chip to massive proportions.
