Will Levis began his NFL career with a bang Sunday, lighting up the stat sheet as he led the Tennessee Titans to a 28-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
The rookie quarterback is in line to start again on a quick turnaround to Thursday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Let’s take a look back at how Levis got to this point, including where he played college football and how he made his way to Tennessee.
Will Levis Went From Backup to SEC Star
Levis spent his four years in college at two different schools — Penn State and Kentucky.
The Madison, Connecticut native began his collegiate career at Penn State, amassing 644 passing yards, 473 rushing yards, and nine total touchdowns in 15 appearances across the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He was stuck behind starter Sean Clifford both seasons as the Nittany Lions went 11-2 in 2019 and 4-5 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.
MORE: Will Levis Stats — Titans QB Has Impressive First Game as Tennessee’s Starter
Levis then transferred to Kentucky, where he immediately took over as the program’s starter for all 13 games in 2021. He threw for 2,827 yards and 24 touchdowns, adding 376 rushing yards and nine scores on the ground as the Wildcats went 10-3 with a Citrus Bowl win over Iowa.
Another solid season ensued in 2022, with Levis throwing for 2,406 yards and 19 touchdowns and adding two more rushing touchdowns. Levis’ propensity for turnovers was perhaps the only major knock on his college career, as he threw a combined 23 interceptions across his two years as a full-time starter.
When Was Levis Drafted?
Levis declared for the NFL Draft after two seasons at Kentucky and four years of college football overall.
He was selected with the No. 33 overall pick by the Titans, the first choice of the second round. That slot came as a bit of a surprise after Levis was the only quarterback attendee in the green room not to hear his name called in the opening round.
He became just the sixth quarterback taken in the second round since 2015.
To see Levis’ full pre-draft evaluation, you can view his 2023 NFL Draft scouting report here at Pro Football Network.
Levis quickly showed the NFL world his potential, though, in his debut in Week 8. He completed 19 of his 29 pass attempts for 238 yards and four touchdowns, one coming in each of the game’s four quarters.
All four scores were from further than 10 yards out, too, as Levis’ touchdown passes came from distances of 47, 16, 61, and 33 yards. The final one put the Titans up 28-16 midway through the fourth quarter, a lead they held the rest of the way.
Levis will have to continue proving himself, but he relished the opportunity to make his successful NFL debut.
“I’ve been dreaming of this moment as a kid my entire life,” Levis told reporters after the game. “Even to just touch the field in an NFL game, let alone get a win, is incredible.”
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