Not Only Public Embarrassment on Live TV, Will Levis Also Lost Millions During Draft Drop

Published 05/02/2023, 9:37 AM EDT

Every year, a number of college athletes come to the NFL draft with just one dream. They want to somehow make it to an NFL franchise. But for a select few, the dream is a bit higher. And Kentucky QB Will Levis was certainly a part of the latter group. His eyes were dead set to go off the board as a top 10 draft pick but unfortunately, it did not come to pass. And that has proved to be a costly affair for Levis.

After going top 10 in almost every mock draft in the buildup, Levis dropped heavily to be pick no. 34 in the actual draft. That did cause him a very public embarrassment on national television. But that is not all. According to an NFL insider, it will cost the Kentucky QB millions of dollars too. A double whammy no one wants.

The Will Levis conundrum

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According to NFL insider Mike Florio, Will Levis’ drop would cost him around a whopping 24 million. He made that estimate keeping in mind the 2022 rookie contract values. And that will probably go up this time around.

“Based on 2022 contract values, the difference between No. 4 overall (Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner) and the second pick in round two (Packers receiver Christian Watson) is more than $24 million, from $33.45 million to $9.24 million,” Florio wrote for ProFootballTalk.

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Many had projected the QB to go off the board in the first round. The Indianapolis Colts GM Jim Irsay even said that if Anthony Richardson wasn’t available, they would have taken Levis at No. 4. Levis decided to skip attending the second day in person, but he went off the board as the second pick in the second round. And that has changed his contract a lot.

Is just money the problem?

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It’s no secret that a high first-round pick gets different financial terms than a high second-round pick. But there is another problem that Will Levis might have to face. There is another fundamental difference in the contract structure. A high first-round pick gets a guaranteed four-year contract with the team that drafts them. That luxury doesn’t reach the second-round picks.

The one thing that may work in the Kentucky QB’s favor is that the Tennessee Titans can’t put a franchise tag on him in free agency when his rookie deal runs out. But that is only if his stint at the Nissan Stadium doesn’t work out. He would certainly hope that it is not the case.

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In any case, Levis has a chance to make his mark with the Titans and that is all athletes dream of. His reaction when his name came up said it all. Will he become the next big thing in the NFL?

Watch this story: 20-year-old NFL star breaks down in tears after receiving 2023 Draft call

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Written by:

Shivam Pratap Singh is a seasoned NFL writer at Essentially Sports. With a master's degree in international and area studies from a prestigious university, Shivam leverages his academic background to gain a deeper understanding of the global impact of sports. Shivam's passion for football developed early in his career as a writer.

Edited by:

Nidhi Rana

Not Only Public Embarrassment on Live TV, Will Levis Also Lost Millions During Draft Drop

The Will Levis conundrum

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Is just money the problem?