After unexpectedly slipping to the second round of the NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis is receiving some encouragement from another signal caller who once found himself waiting around on draft day: Tom Brady.
In a new social media video shared by sports retail company Fanatics, Brady, 45, and several other star players surprise some of the league’s rookies to hype them up for the upcoming 2023 season.
Among the rookies is Levis, 23, who was once touted as one of the draft’s most sought-after quarterbacks and rumored to be one of the top picks.
But on draft night this past April, Levis found himself waiting. And waiting, and waiting, and waiting – until his name was called by the Tennessee Titans, who picked him at the top of the second round with the 33rd pick.
After he was selected, Levis opened up about how he felt about getting skipped in the first round after widely being expected to get selected by one of the first teams.
“Last night was tough,” Levis told ESPN. “I knew that what was meant to be was going to happen. It’s one of those things where you feel like you’re going to handle yourself and be composed, but then the waterworks started flowing and just emotions got overwhelming.”
Now, he’s getting a confidence boost from perhaps the greatest player in NFL history.
“Waiting around on draft day, it sucks,” Brady told Levis in the recent video. “I know the feeling. It’s not easy. But I promise you one thing, it’s going to make everything that happens from this point on that much sweeter.”
Here's a pre-season pep talk from the Rookie Premiere that these @NFL rookies will never forget #FanaticsLockerRoom
Good luck to all the rookies! pic.twitter.com/zZEeInX85I
— Fanatics (@Fanatics) June 8, 2023
Brady was famously selected 199th overall by the New England Patriots in the 2000 NFL Draft, despite leading Michigan to a 10-2 season and a victory in the Orange Bowl in his senior year of college.
Brady went on to prove himself as the greatest steal in NFL Draft history, winning a record-setting seven Super Bowl rings and three NFL MVP Awards. He also has the most touchdown passes, passing yards, completions and wins in NFL history, among several other accolades.
Levis can only hope to prove his doubters wrong in similar fashion. He will likely back up longtime Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill this season, who is in the final year of his contract with the team, setting Levis up to possibly take over the position the following year.
“I ended up where I was meant to be,” Levis told ESPN after the Titans picked him at No. 33. “I’m just looking forward to competing and getting started.”
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