2023 NFL Draft Buzz: Latest league news, rumors from Friday ahead ...
Throughout Thursday's Round 1 festivities, the camera kept cutting back to Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, who watched as three other quarterbacks and the majority of the Kansas City green room emptied out progressively.
While many did not expect Levis to fall to the second round, his wait is not expected to go on much longer Friday.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Friday morning that teams had been calling others holding late first-round spots to no avail on Thursday night, and now the Steelers have fielded multiple calls about the No. 32 pick, which opens the second round. Per Pelissero, many of the teams calling on Thursday were believed to be interested in Levis.
NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported late Thursday night that teams were trying to talk to the Kansas City Chiefs about the No. 31 pick, but KC was intent on making that pick -- which resulted in the selection of Kansas State edge Felix Anudike-Uzomah.
Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was likewise contacted about the team's No. 30 overall pick, he said in his post-first-round news conference. However, Roseman and Philly were set on a pass rusher of their own and took Georgia's Nolan Smith. While the Eagles and Chiefs stiff-armed late-round trades, as noted by Garafolo, it could pave the way for some trade movement at the top of the second round on Friday.
Here's what else we're monitoring Friday ahead of Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft, which kick off tonight at 7 p.m. ET:
Sitting at No. 26, the Dallas Cowboys made a somewhat surprising selection on Thursday in Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith. One area of need for the 'Boys was a tight end and the Buffalo Bills jumped right in front of Dallas at No. 25 to take Utah TE Dalton Kincaid, trading up with the Jacksonville Jaguars to do so. Might the Bills have stolen the Cowboys' top choice? Well, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wasn't tipping his hand even after the fact. "That is tactical with tomorrow ahead of us and the next day ahead of us, so I want to watch what we say here," Jones said Friday night. "Last year, I showed you the damn draft board. I barely got back in the building by training camp. I was barred from the building. So much for that. So, I am not going to give you the draft board this time." If Dallas is looking for a tight end to replace the departed Dalton Schultz, there remains ample opportunity. Kincaid being the only TE taken in the opening round was somewhat surprising, too. Notre Dame's Michael Mayer leads a cast of talented TEs still on the board and the Cowboys' next pick is No. 58. Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta could also be a name to watch, as NFL Network's Jane Slater reports Dallas is high on the Hawkeye, along with TCU guard Steven Avila and running back Kendre Miller, per Slater.