Titans end Will Levis’ long wait after trading up on day two of NFL draft

The Tennessee Titans ended Will Levis’ wait to hear his name called Friday night, trading up eight spots with Arizona to select the Kentucky quarterback with the No 33 pick overall Friday night in the NFL draft.

Levis left Kansas City after sitting around and never hearing his name called Thursday night. Talking to reporters via a Zoom call, Levis said where he was drafted won’t affect his work ethic. Levis had visited Tennessee and said he felt he connected with everyone he met.

“I ended up where I was meant to be, and I’m just looking forward to competing and getting started,” Levis said.

Levis flew home Friday and said he was eating after just walking through the door at home just as his name was called. Levis said he left Kansas City to make sure he got home in time for a big family gathering planned for Saturday believing he would be drafted in the first round Thursday night.

“I was ecstatic to get the call,” Levis said.

TV cameras kept going back to Levis and his family over and over through the first round as they waited at the NFL’s big draft party in Kansas City.

Three quarterbacks were taken in the first four picks, then nothing until the Titans traded up for the second pick of the second round Friday night.

“I was very proud of my family and how we composed ourselves last night and you know the cameras beaming down on us the whole time,” Levis said. “I feel like we did a great job of just taking it in stride and trusting that regardless of what happens, that it’s going to happen for a reason.”

The Titans have a quarterback in Ryan Tannehill, who turns 35 in July and has one year left on his contract with a salary cap hit of $36.6m.

First-year general manager Ran Carthon started Friday night with the Titans