Report: Will Levis Slide Generating Trade Interest in Steelers' No. 32 NFL Draft Pick

The Pittsburgh Steelers might benefit in a big way from Will Levis falling out of the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Friday the Steelers were getting heavy interest in the No. 32 overall pick, which is believed to center around the Kentucky star:

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported four teams have shown "legitimate interest" in a deal with the Steelers but that Pittsburgh is happy to keep the pick absent a worthwhile offer.

Per Pro Football Talk, the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders "desperately" tried to trade back into the first round, though it's unclear if any of the three were angling for Levis.

While considered one of the best quarterbacks in the 2023 class and a potential top-five pick, Levis was left to wait in the green room Thursday as the first 31 selections were announced.

Levis figures to be another cautionary tale about the occasional absurdity of the predraft process. The odds of him being the No. 1 overall pick saw significant movement seemingly based solely on an unfounded Reddit post.

The 23-year-old remaining on the board into Day 2 isn't that surprising in hindsight.

Levis transferred from Penn State after two nondescript seasons, and his two-year run at Kentucky was solid if unspectacular. He threw for 5,232 yards, 43 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in 24 games. Those numbers don't scream surefire franchise QB.

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the toe injury Levis suffered in 2022 was a consideration for some teams, with one calling it "problematic." Another team wondered if surgery was required.

This shouldn't be another Malik Willis situation, where Willis was floated as a potential first-rounder and maybe even a top-10 selection before ultimately lasting until the third round of the 2022 draft.

Levis was the No. 22 overall player and the fourth-best quarterback on Bleacher Report's final big board. He has the tools necessary to be a starter for a long time in the NFL, with B/R NFL scout Derrik Klassen drawing a parallel to 2019 Pro Bowler Ryan Tannehill.

There's still a level of risk but betting on Levis' upside becomes a much more sensible gamble in the second round. A QB-needy team would be wise to strike a deal with the Steelers.