New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner tried to lift former Kentucky quarterback Will Levis as the NFL prospect dropped out of the first round on Thursday night, even as he was rumored to be one of the first five picks.
Broadcast cameras focused on Levis throughout the night as optimism that he would be selected in the first round faded. Gardner came to Levis’ aid on Twitter.
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Willow Gardner, #1 of the New York Jets, reacts prior to an NFL football game between the New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
«Will Levis… God doesn’t make mistakes. You’ll be great,» Gardner’s elegant tweet read.
There were three quarterbacks selected within the first four picks in the draft. The Carolina Panthers took Bryce Young, the Houston Texans selected CJ Stroud, and the Indianapolis Colts took Anthony Richardson. No other quarterbacks were selected in the first round.
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A closeup photo of a Will Levis football next to a phone in the green room backstage during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
To further complicate matters, a Reddit rumor surfaced earlier in the week that Levis was telling his friends and family that the Panthers would pick him. He moved the betting markets to favor Levis as a 400-1 shot at No. 1 instead of the 4000-1 he originally projected.
He downplayed the rumor.
«All I’ve said is don’t believe everything you read on the internet,» he said Wednesday.
ESPN reported that a toe injury Levis sustained in his final season at Kentucky was deemed «troublesome» by one team. Another team reportedly believed that a discussion might have been had about the surgery. Levis apparently disagreed with those assessments.
Kentucky quarterback Will Levis poses for a photo on the NFL Draft red carpet prior to the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri on April 27, 2023. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
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In his two full seasons as Kentucky’s quarterback (24 games), Levis threw for 5,232 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions with a 65.7 completion percentage.