After finally hearing his name called on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL draft, Will Levis addressed an injury report that may have contributed to the reason why he slid out of the first round, where he was widely projected to be selected.
The former Kentucky quarterback was drafted by the Titans with the No. 33 pick on Friday following a well-publicized slide that came on the heels of a pre-draft report noting NFL teams were concerned with a toe injury he suffered last season. Shortly after his selection, Levis dismissed the chatter surrounding the injury, telling reporters his toe feels good and would not require any follow-up procedures, per Titans reporter Jim Wyatt.
While Tennessee’s selection of Levis may bring its own questions in terms of fit, it appears the team didn’t find anything too detrimental during their pre-draft evaluation of the talented signal-caller. During his longer-than-anticipated wait on Thursday night, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that teams may have been hesitant to invest in Levis due to the injury, which cost him two games last season.
“Will Levis’ left toe that caused him to miss two games last year was ‘problematic’ for one team that considered him,” Mortensen tweeted. “Levis says the ‘toe has healed’ and is good to go. Another team believes Levis could manage it but thought surgery would need discussion after the season. Levis disagrees.”
With Levis now officially off the board, it remains to be seen if any more news emerges about his health once he officially joins his new team. For now, though, the ex-Wildcat can continue his preparation for the next level as he appears headed for a QB battle with veteran Ryan Tannehill and second-year QB Malik Willis.
