Will Levis, it turns out, was not the next Gamestop.
The University of Kentucky quarterback was one of the big stories Thursday night during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Levis sat patiently and quietly all night long and never heard his name called despite mock drafts suggesting he could have been a top-five pick.
Levis’ free fall at least into the second round was rough news for bettors who blindly followed an impossible-to-prove Reddit post that indicated Levis was telling people he’d go No. 1 to Carolina. Seemingly based only on that bit of “information,” bettors rushed to the window to bet Levis as the No. 1 pick. Levis’ odds quickly shortened as the market reacted to those who apparently didn’t want to miss a potential chance to cash a big ticket.
As is typically the case, the sportsbooks benefited the most. BetMGM’s John Ewing on Friday revealed 29% of their first-pick bets were placed on Levis, which was more than any other player ? and he wasn’t even drafted.
Levis — who might have fallen because of a toe injury — won’t be in the green room forever, though. Someone is going to take a shot on the UK product, and it could happen as early as Friday’s Round 2. DraftKings Sportsbook on Friday morning posted odds for which team will draft the QB (they have since removed the wager).
Levis landing with a team like the Rams and learning under Sean McVay might be the best thing for him in the long run anyway.
