Will Levis failed to make a positive impact during what was supposed to be his first full season as the Tennessee Titans’ starting quarterback. He was benched later in the season, and his future with the franchise is uncertain.
The Titans have the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and are positioned to get the quarterback of their choice. However, new general manager Mike Borgonzi recently revealed that it’s not a guarantee that the team will draft a quarterback.
Stephen A. Smith, in a recent segment on “First Take,” advised the Titans to move on from Levis immediately and not complicate things with the first overall pick.
Stephen A. Smith Wants the Titans To Move On From Will Levis
The Titans general manager hinted that the team could be open to drafting a generational player if one is available in the upcoming draft. This led Cam Newton to believe the AFC South franchise would be interested in drafting Travis Hunter, not a quarterback, with the first overall pick.
Although Hunter is a special player, Smith is adamant about the Titans finding Levis’ replacement.
“I’m not passing up on a quarterback when I got Mr. Mayonnaise, Will Levis, at the quarterback spot,” Smith said. “I’ll be damned, I’m not doing it, that brother needs to go. I can’t tell my team that, you know what? ‘Work your tail off, bust your tail, do all you can, because we care and we’re trying to win, and I’m gonna have Will Levis as my quarterback;’ it cannot happen.”
In 12 games this past season, Levis threw for 2,091 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, completing 63.1% of his throws and having a passer rating of 81.4. He graded out at 61.9 (D-), 34th in the NFL, according to PFN’s QB+ metric.
The Titans quarterback has been a walking turnover (a combined 33 fumbles and interceptions in 21 career appearances, all starts), and some of the mistakes he made during the season were so silly that they damaged the entire team’s morale.
The Titans had a pretty good defense, and if they had a better quarterback, the team could have made a run for the playoffs in a struggling AFC South. Drafting Hunter is unlikely to hurt any team in the league, but Tennessee should prioritize improving at the quarterback position as of now.
Since the Titans have a new general manager, he and head coach Brian Callahan will have a lengthy conversation regarding Levis’ future with the team. There are still three months left for the draft, so the team’s decision-makers have enough time to come up with a solution. If they don’t like any quarterback in the upcoming draft, the team could also trade the first overall pick, which will help improve the overall roster and make Levis play better.
Smith Sang Praises of Shedeur Sanders for Titans
Miami’s Cam Ward is currently the favorite to be the first player selected in the upcoming draft. Smith believes both Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders will be better for the Titans.
He talked about why Tennessee should look at drafting Sanders with the first overall pick, as he has the “‘it’ factor” required to succeed in the NFL.
“Here’s what I’m gonna say to you. Shedeur Sanders ain’t no damn slouch. This brother has that ‘it’ factor,” Smith added. “When you have that kind of pedigree that Sanders has had — and he has shown himself to be a big-time quarterback — if I’m Tennessee, I’m not dismissing that possibility. I’m not ruling that out. That kid can be the future.”
In 24 games across two seasons with Colorado, Sanders threw for 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He averaged 306.8 passing yards per game and completed 71.8% of his throws.
Teams like the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are expected to be interested in drafting Sanders. If the AFC South team decides to continue with Levis, both of those teams could look to engage in trade conversations with the Titans.