Will Levis Trending Upward Ahead of 2023 NFL Draft

The two-year Wildcat QB is the talk of the football world, with his life set to change forever on Thursday night.

The 2023 NFL draft will commence in just over 24 hours at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo. 

Kentucky quarterback Will Levis is at the center of all the hot takes and thoughts coming from talking heads, social media and the like. Some think the stout gunslinger is going to be the next Josh Allen, some think he's in line to become an automatic bust at the next level.

It's hard to remember a more polarizing QB coming out of college in recent years, as far as panning out or not goes. Throw in the overplayed bits of eating bananas and pouring mayonnaise in the coffee, and you've got yourself a headline or two every other day. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr and Dan Orlovsky are both superbly high on the Penn State transfer, while CBS' Danny Kanell is quite the opposite, projecting his NFL career to that of Jake Locker. 

With three other high-profile quarterbacks — Bryce Young (Alabama), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) and Anthony Richardson (Florida) — all in the running to be the top arm taken on Thursday night, it really is anyone's guess as to which team will gamble on which player. 

The Tennessee Titans (No. 11 pick), Houston Texans (No. 2) and Indianapolis Colts (No. 4) have all been mentioned as teams that could select Levis, and those three AFC South teams make up nearly the entirety of final mock draft boards selecting the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder. ESPN's Todd McShay has reported that the Colts are focused on selecting Levis with the No. 4 pick, but will they have the opportunity to do so? 

The rumor mill has been working overtime the last 48 hours, as have the bookies. A Reddit post (which surely can't be false, right?) has surmised that Levis is telling his friends and family that the Carolina Panthers — who traded up to the No. 1 pick — will be selecting him on Thursday. 

Sportsbooks have since echoed that in a way, as his odds to go No. 1 overall on Thursday have jolted from +4000 all the way to +400, per DraftKings. The Panthers have a seemingly impossible decision to make, as all four of the top QBs have been thrown around as the "right" choice. 

Levis already has an army of haters and hasn't even been drafted yet. Whatever team opts to take a shot on the Madison, Conn. native will receive a heap of applause as well as criticism. With the clock ticking, all of that love and hate will jump 10-fold, especially if he's the first name called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. 

Round one of the 2023 NFL draft is set for 8 p.m. EST on April 27. It will air on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network.

Will Levis to attend 2023 NFL draft in Kansas City

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Want the latest on national football and basketball recruiting, including Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the latest news, blogs, and updates about the nation's best prospects.

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