By one NFL team owner’s own admission, he would have taken Will Levis in the first round if another player hadn’t been available at the time.
Per Zak Keefer of The Athletic, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said that if Anthony Richardson weren’t available at the time, he would have either had his team draft Levis or trade down if Levis weren’t available.
But instead the Colts drafted Richardson, while Levis tumbled all the way out of the top five and ultimately out of the entire first round of the draft. Ironically, Irsay will likely still get to see Levis a lot after the rival Tennessee Titans drafted him just two picks into the following round.
NFL fans on Twitter had a wide range of reactions to this bombshell from Irsay. Some believe the Colts lucked into avoiding a mistake while others simply appreciated Irsay being as candid as always:
Irsay unfiltered https://t.co/DbxjU4x6y2
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) April 29, 2023
What could have been https://t.co/sScl7OcdbR
— c🟢nn🟣r (@BernienChompz) April 29, 2023
— Matthew (@double_deck3) April 29, 2023
I think history will show they did the right thing and pass on Levis. Wonder what the Colts draft room thought of Herdon Hooker.
— Bob Taylor (@omacolt) April 29, 2023
Three of the four AFC South teams wound up taking a quarterback in the first two rounds of the draft. Prior to Irsay and the Colts taking Anthony Richardson, the Houston Texans took Ohio State’s CJ Stroud with the second overall pick.
The Texans then shocked the world by trading back up into the top three with the Arizona Cardinals to take Alabama star defensive end Will Anderson Jr.
The AFC South has rapidly transformed from one of the worst divisions in football into one of its most interesting.