Titans Take Will Levis, Raiders Land Michael Mayer, Lions Land a QB, and Other NFL Bullets

Night two of the NFL Draft started with a bang, just as the previous night did. The intrigue started earlier in the day when reports surfaced that the Pittsburgh Steelers were fielding multiple trade offers for the 32nd pick in the NFL Draft. The Steelers ended up keeping that pick and drafting cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Still, one of those teams trying to trade up, the Titans, did just that and selected quarterback Will Levis.

  • Tennessee was considered a favorite landing spot for Kentucky QB Will Levis, but that didn’t happen on night one. Instead, the Titans circled back and landed Levis after trading for No. 33 with the Cardinals.
  • Levis heads to Tennessee after all, and the wait on night two wasn’t nearly as long and laborious for the young quarterback as it was the night prior. Ryan Tannehill is entering the final year of his deal in Tennessee, and none of the remaining money is guaranteed. So, Levis’ time in Tennessee could be right around the corner.
  • Titans head coach said that as of today, “Ryan (Tannehill) will be the starting QB on Monday. Malik (Willis) will be the backup. Will (Levis) will be the third quarterback. And what I’ve told them is whatever happens after that will be up to the players.”
  • Titans GM Ran Carthon also said that if Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski hadn’t fallen to them at No. 11, the Titans would have taken Levis in the first round.
  • The trades in the front half of the second round didn’t stop there, though. Two picks later, the Raiders moved up in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts to select Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer.
  • The Raiders landed the best tight end in the draft for my money. Sure, Dalton Kincaid was the superior vertical threat. But Mayer is a more well-rounded three-down tight end who can dominate the middle of the field and is a far better blocker than Kincaid. So, the Raiders replaced Darren Waller, whom they traded to the New York Giants last month.
  • Let’s talk about the Lions. I said in yesterday’s bullets that I would wait until day two was in the books to make an early judgment on Detroit’s decision to select Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12) and Jack Campbell (No. 18) on Thursday night. They started by drafting Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta, checking a box at TE.
  • Then, they ended up moving up in a swap with the Packers. With Brian Branch still on the board at No. 45, the Lions jumped three spots from No. 48 to grab him. All it ended up costing them was a fifth-round pick. I love the Branch pick, it addressed a need for the Lions, and I think Green Bay might regret that trade.
  • With LaPorta and Branch joining Gibbs and Campbell, the Lions selected Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker at No. 68. Hooker was widely considered a late first-round prospect, even with the ACL injury. Now he’s heading to Detroit, where there’s zero pressure to play immediately. He will also work with Ben Johnson, the Lions OC who turned Detroit’s offense into a dynamic scoring machine last season and was one of the hottest head coaching candidates this year.
  • The Lions were a perfect landing spot for Hooker. Detroit wrapped up day two by selecting Western Kentucky DT Brodric Martin at No. 96.
  • I actually like the Lions draft class. I’ll have more thoughts on it this week, but I can definitely see this being a strong class for Detroit.
  • Accoridng to a release from the NFL, ratings for the NFL Draft were up big from last year:
  • Luis had you covered on the Bears day two haul:
  • written by

    Patrick grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods before moving to the Western Suburbs of Chicago before eventually relocating to the Las Vegas area with his family in 2023. He started with Bleacher Nation in 2021 and has spent time as a Staff Writer and on the Chicago Blackhawks beat. He is currently a writer and editor at Bleacher Nation covering the Chicago Bears and the NFL at large and the author of the Bleacher Nation Newsletter. Patrick is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).

    more nfl news

    Prioritizing the Los Angeles Chargers NFL Draft: Top 5 Positions to Address

    The Los Angeles Chargers’ 2023 didn’t go as planned and as a result, they fired head coach Brandon Staley with just 3 games remaining. However, they landed the offseason's most coveted NFL coaching candidate Jim Harbaugh, and have begun the...

    Prioritizing the Los Angeles Rams NFL Draft: Top 5 Positions to Address

    The Los Angeles Rams ended the 2023 season as hot as any team in the NFL. They won 7 of their last 8 games to sneak into the playoffs and almost pulled off a first-round upset of the Detroit Lions....

    Connor Allen’s NFL Mock Draft 2.0: J.J. McCarthy’s Draft Stock Continues to Skyrocket

    The 2024 NFL Draft is upon us, a time filled with anticipation, speculation, and hopeful declarations of a team's newfound future. This 2024 NFL Mock Draft focuses on accuracy over player evaluations. With the free agency frenzy settled war room...

    San Francisco 49ers Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

    The San Francisco 49ers return to the drawing board after their heartbreaking Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite the sting of defeat, the future remains bright. Brock Purdy's emergence as a legitimate MVP candidate and the return...

    Prioritizing the Arizona Cardinals NFL Draft: Top 5 Positions to Address

    The Arizona Cardinals finished 2023 tied with the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots for the 2nd worst record in the NFL at 4-13. It was just the first year under head coach Jonathan Gannon however, and they did show...

    Atlanta Falcons 1st Round Mock Draft: 3 Strong Options

    The Atlanta Falcons hold the 8th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and could go in a variety of directions. They had an incredibly busy offseason, changing multiple facets of the team. This Atlanta Falcons 1st round mock draft...

    San Francisco 49ers First-Round Mock Draft: Exploring Potential Picks

    The San Francisco 49ers are coming off a tough loss to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl (again) and will be looking to return to that elusive title game for what could be their ninth time in franchise history. This...

    2024 NFL Mock Draft: How High Can J.J. McCarthy’s Stock Rise?

    Hard to believe we're less than a month away from the 1st Round of the 2024 NFL Draft! With just weeks remaining until the NFL's most noteworthy offseason event, there are plenty of rumors floating. As we work through all...

    Denver Broncos Draft Picks: Full List of NFL Draft Selections

    The 2024 NFL Draft is just a month away as teams are looking to lock up future superstars in late April. The Denver Broncos draft will be interesting after the team let Russell Wilson go this offseason. Check out the...

    Around the NFL: New Kickoff Rules Explained, NFL Trade Deadline Extended, More

    NFL owners ratified a sweeping overhaul of the kickoff play on Tuesday, embracing a format inspired by the XFL following three days of deliberations at the league’s yearly gathering. Essentially, the new format relocates the bulk of both kicking and return teams...

    Latest News

    Pac-12 Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | March 28

    There is one game featuring a Pac-12 teams on the Thursday postseason college basketball schedule, the Clemson Tigers versus the Arizona Wildcats. Make sure you check out below for today's best bets!How to Bet on Pac-12 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best Pac-12...

    Rays vs. Blue Jays Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Tampa Bay Rays look to start their season with a win as home favorites (-135) in a season-opening matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays. First pitch is on Thursday at 4:10 PM ET on MLB Network, live from Tropicana...

    Astros vs. Yankees Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Houston Astros look to start their season with a win as home favorites (-156) in a season-opening matchup with the New York Yankees. First pitch is on Thursday at 4:10 PM ET on YES, live from Minute Maid Park.Houston's...

    Tigers vs. White Sox Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Detroit Tigers begin their season as -181 favorites in a road tilt against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday at 4:10 PM ET, live on BSDET.Tarik Skubal starts for Detroit while Garrett Crochet is Chicago's starter for the contest.Tigers...

    Reds vs. Nationals Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Cincinnati Reds begin their season as -154 favorites in a home tilt against the Washington Nationals on Thursday at 4:10 PM ET, live on MASN2.Cincinnati's Frankie Montas gets the start, and he'll go against Washington's Josiah Gray.Reds vs. Nationals...

    Dodgers vs. Cardinals Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Los Angeles Dodgers (1-1) will look to Will Smith, red hot after a four-hit game, to lead them in a matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals (0-0) on Thursday at 4:10 PM ET on BSMW. The Dodgers are -232...

    Marlins vs. Pirates Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Miami Marlins look to start their season with a win as home favorites (-133) in a season-opening matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates. First pitch is on Thursday at 4:10 PM ET on Sportsnet PT, live from LoanDepot park.Miami's Jesus...

    Padres vs. Giants Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The San Francisco Giants (0-0) are the underdogs on the moneyline (-106) in Thursday's contest against the San Diego Padres (1-1). Game time is set for 4:10 PM ET on NBCS-BA. The Giants are favored against the spread in this...

    Twins vs. Royals Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Minnesota Twins look to start their season with a win as road favorites (-122) in a season-opening matchup with the Kansas City Royals. First pitch is on Thursday at 4:10 PM ET on BSN, live from Kauffman Stadium.Pablo Lopez...

    Orioles vs. Angels Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Baltimore Orioles are moneyline favorites (-192) to begin their season with a home win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday at 3:05 PM ET, live on BSW.Baltimore's Corbin Burnes and Los Angeles' Patrick Sandoval have been named the...

    more nfl news