Maybe one day there will be a country music song about Will Levis’ tortured wait to be chosen at the 2023 NFL Draft.
After he surprisingly fell out of the first round, Levis didn’t have to wait long Friday night to hear his name called.
He was the second pick of the second round by the Titans, who traded up with the Cardinals to get him.
The rocket-armed quarterback, who was projected to go as high as No. 4 to the Colts, landed in a promising place.
Ryan Tannehill is on his contract walk-year and Levis can compete with 2021 third-round pick Malik Willis to be Tennessee’s quarterback the future.
The Titans traded picks No. 41, No. 72 and a 2024 third-rounder to move up to No. 33 for Levis and add No. 81 from the Cardinals.
Levis and his girlfriend, Gia Duddy, were the unfortunate stars of the first round because television cameras kept panning to their surprised and disappointed faces.
To nobody’s surprise, Levis did not return to the green room in Kansas City, Mo., for his in-person moment with commissioner Roger Goodell.
He was at home in Connecticut when the phone rang Friday.
“I knew I was going to cry,” Levis told local reporters of his reaction when the Titans finally called. “The tears came immediately. I didn’t really know how the conversation was going to go. It’s one of those things where you feel like you are going to handle yourself and be composed, but the waterworks started flowing and emotions got overwhelming.”
Once the Colts took Anthony Richardson with the fourth-overall pick Thursday, after two top two picks were fellow quarterbacks Bryce Young (No. 1 to the Panthers) and C.J. Stroud (No. 2 to the Texans), Levis’ tumble began.
There was a thought that the Titans, who hosted Levis on a facility visit before the draft, would halt the fall before it reached Aaron Rodgers and Dan Marino levels, but they instead grabbed offensive tackle Peter Skoronski at No. 11.
“Every visit that I went on, I made sure I put my best foot forward and did the best that I could to show them who I am as a person and a player,” Levis said. “I feel like every person I met with on the [Titans’] staff I connected with on a really high level. I told myself I wouldn’t fall in love with anybody throughout the process because I didn’t really have a say in the matter, but if there was one team I did it was definitely Tennessee.”
Levis’ tape from the 2021 season was arguably the best of the quarterbacks available in this class, but he struggled after an offensive coordinator change and a toe injury in 2022.
He said the toe has “healed,” but at least a couple of teams weren’t convinced, according to ESPN.
There was a thought that the Rams — coached by Sean McVay, a mentor to Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Cohen who was calling plays when Levis was at his best — might pick Levis at No. 36.
So, the Titans made a deal.
The 6-foot-4, 229-pound Levis started his career at Penn State, but couldn’t beat out Sean Clifford (projected to be undrafted this year) to be the starter.
In two years at Kentucky, Levis completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 5,232 yards with 43 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
“Regardless of where I got picked, it’s not going to change my work ethic,” Levis said. “You can’t let the circumstances dictate your preparation and the level of intensity you bring to every-day practice. Definitely a little bit of a chip [on my shoulder].”
From a financial standpoint, it is better for quarterbacks to be early second-round picks than late first-round picks because they will reach free agency sooner.
Teams reportedly were calling Thursday about trading up to picks No. 30 or No. 31 for Levis because of the team-controlled fifth-year option.