Kentucky quarterback prospect Will Levis came into Thursday night’s NFL Draft rated as a surefire first-rounder, with many analysts and sportsbooks having him as a shoo-in to get called within the top 10 picks. But as the draft went on, Levis kept falling down the board, and he never did hear his name called on Day 1. Levis remains available as we enter Day 2 of the draft, and the initial Will Levis NFL Draft odds show just how crazy that reality really is.
Will Levis NFL Draft Odds Put First Round Fall into Perspective
The Levis hype train was fully in motion in the days leading up to the NFL Draft. Bettors drove down the line on him to go No. 1 overall from +4000 to +400 earlier in the week after a Reddit user claimed the signal-caller was already telling friends and family he was going to the Carolina Panthers with the first overall pick. BetMGM reported that 29% of bets (most) were on Levis to go No. 1 overall.
Not only did Levis not go No. 1 overall, but he is still waiting for his phone to buzz with some good news. While Bryce Young was the heavy favorite to go No. 1 overall, Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson were both rated as strong candidates to become the second quarterback taken off the board. There was a strong belief that the Indianapolis Colts would select Levis with the fourth overall pick, and DraftKings Sportsbook had him as the favorite in that spot (+120). But the Colts opted to go with the dual threat in Richardson, and no other team felt Levis was the guy to lead their franchise.
According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, there is legitimate concern about Levis’ toe injury that kept him out of two games last season. And perhaps his drop in production from junior to senior year also worried front offices that he was not ready for an NFL workload.
Levis threw for 2,406 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions after 2,826 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions the year prior. He also had a worse completion percentage and seven fewer touchdowns rushing last season compared to 2021.
The latest Levis NFL Draft odds on DraftKings Sportsbook shows the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans as the new favorites at +350 to take a chance on Levis in the second round. They are followed by the Las Vegas Raiders (+800), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+1400), Washington Commanders (+1400), Seattle Seahawks (+1400), Detroit Lions (+1400) and Minnesota Vikings (+1500). New users at DraftKings can use this link to get $150 in bet credits with any $5 moneyline wager!
Every year brings a different first-round shocker, and this time around it was the fall of Levis that nobody could have seen coming. Levis bettors are certainly kicking themselves for believing the social media hype. Those bettors can use OddsShopper tools to find the best value on the board this weekend when trying to win back some of that coin.
