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NFL Draft Friday review: Levis the right fit for Tennessee Titans

Will Levis was drafted early on day two as the second and third rounds played out as most people expected, with the occasional curveball pick coming in from left field. 

The Kentucky QB will cross the border to the south to become a Tennessee Titan in what looks like a good fit, but represents an open admission that last year's third-round quarterback has not developed how the team had hoped.

Levis has left the building

After spending day one of the draft grinning through gritted teeth in the green room, Levis finally found out which team he would be suiting up for in 2023. 

The Titans traded to get him, sending the 41st and 72nd picks, plus a 2024 third-round selection, to the Arizona Cardinals in order to move up to No. 33, adding the 81st pick in the deal. 

He should slot in as the second QB on the depth chart in Nashville behind veteran Ryan Tannehill, who will be 35 this summer and is entering the final year of a four-year contract. 

Clearly, there is scope for him to succeed Tannehill as the starter in the not-too-distant future and, if he is required to play because of injuries this year, he can always just hand the ball to two-time NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry. 

Like everyone else in the first round, the Titans passed Levis because they had more pressing issues to address. 

Their addition of highly-prized tackle/guard prospect Peter Skoronski on Thursday may also help Levis, +2000 to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year, in the long term. 

The only loser here would appear to be Malik Willis, the Titans' third-round pick in 2022, who looked very raw in his three starts last year and may not now get another. 

The former Liberty standout, who was not a selection of new Titans GM Ran Carthon, averaged a league-low 4.5 yards per attempt and also fumbled three times. 

Steelers stand pat to grab Porter

Although they took calls from interested teams to trade up to their often-desirable slot at the top of the second round, the Pittsburgh Steelers stayed where they were to ensure they could take Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. 

Porter, +1800 to be Defensive Rookie of the Year, is the son of longtime Steelers linebacker Joey Porter Sr, who was on the franchise's last NFL Championship-winning roster. 

He made it clear that he intends to blaze his own trail with the Steelers, telling ESPN: "It's me, it's not him. He understands that it's my time to shine. He did what he had to do, and it's my time right now." 

Later in the draft, the Steelers added Wisconsin defensive tackle Keeanu Benton with the 49th pick and Georgia tight end Darnell Washington with the 93rd selection. 

Washington, who has referred to himself as "sixth offensive lineman", had been spoken of as a fringe first-round prospect, but took a hefty tumble down the board for reasons unknown. 

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49ers stun fans with kicker pick

Selecting a kicker in the first three rounds has been unheard of since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blundered by taking Roberto Aguayo in the second round of the 2016 draft. 

So it was a complete shock when the San Francisco 49ers - with their second pick of this year's allocation - chose Michigan's Jake Moody. 

The 49ers did need a new kicker after parting company with veteran Robbie Gould. 

But only time will tell if Moody, who becomes only the third kicker taken in the first three rounds in the last 20 years, was worth using such a high-value pick on. 

He hit 82.1 percent of his field-goal attempts over five seasons at Michigan and all 148 extra-point attempts. 

Lions leap up to grab Branch

Unlike Levis and Porter, who did not show up for the second round after sliding from their first-round projections, Alabama safety Brian Branch wanted to have his moment on stage. 

And he finally got it when the Detroit Lions, who are +140 to win the NFC North, pulled off a trade with the Green Bay Packers to move up three spots to No.45 overall. 

The Lions were clearly fearful that one of the teams just above them in the order, or another willing to trade up, were ready to snatch Branch away. 

The Crimson Tide star, who is capable of playing nickel cornerback too, should give Detroit flexibility on the field and further addresses an evident weakness in the Lions' secondary.

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