NFL Insider: Why smoke on Will Levis at No. 2 in the NFL Draft has merit

The Houston Texans will draft former Kentucky quarterback Will Levis with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft — if the betting odds are to be believed. Levis jumped from +1000 odds to +130 in a matter of days, according to multiple sportsbooks.

ESPN analyst Jeremy Fowler revealed the latest on what he’s heard from inside the Texans’ organization, saying that while Houston has been very unpredictable, even Levis going No. 2 overall has been considered, “at least in league circles, to be a mild surprise, but he is incredibly talented,” he said Sunday morning on SportsCenter.

“Maybe it’s for a trade scenario. Houston has been open to trading back, but I did ask around on Houston and Levis and that potential marriage,” said Fowler.

“I was told that his pre-draft meeting with the team did go very well. It was positive from all that I’ve heard, but also, it was pointed out to me that Levis and GM Nick Caserio, are both very similar personalities. Both are considered serious. You know, guys that maybe you could have loosened up a little bit. They want to be great, so they take their job seriously. It’s something to consider. Could be a personality match.”

The news on Levis, whose scouting report differs on an analyst-to-analyst basis, has made noise on social media regarding the decision from fans and analysts alike. He is by far the most polarizing player in the draft. But that’s not his fault — it is the fault of those around him in Lexington.

His stats were down across the board between his junior and senior campaigns, but the difference in Levis’s stats comes from the talent around him, particularly on his offensive line. Levis was sacked 36 times in 2022, which ranked Kentucky’s OL No. 128 out of 131 in the FBS. He was sacked 11.80 percent of the times he dropped back in the pocket last season. 

Levis had little-to-no help out wide, and was without his star running back until halfway through the season. By the time Kentucky got back to full strength everywhere else, the injuries had already piled up oh himself.

Whether the Texans pull the trigger, or end up trading back, Levis isn’t likely to wait very long for his name to be called when the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network.