Will Levis hopes to hear his name called early on in the NFL Draft's first round on Thursday night, as the Kentucky Wildcats standout aims to become a household name as the new quarterback for an NFL franchise. He's ready to sling touchdowns and win games. As a member of the 2023 NFL Draft's top four QBs, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Florida's Anthony Richardson and Alabama's Bryce Young, Levis can thank his parents and their parents for his athletic skills.
Will brings a lot of upside and athleticism to the NFL, and it's no surprise to us. Not only were Will Levis' parents athletes, but his grandfather and great-grandfather were as well.
Much of his family, including his parents, will be there in person in Kansas City as the former Penn State Nittany Lions transfer is selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Coming from an athletic family has certainly helped the young prospect get to this moment in his career.
Will Levis' Athletically Gifted Family
Both of Will Levis' parents, Mike and Beth, come from athletic roots. His mother, Beth Levis, was a two-time All-American soccer player at Yale and was inducted into the Connecticut Girls Soccer Association Hall of Fame. Father Mike Levis played D-III football at Denison University in Ohio.
Will Levis' maternal grandfather, David Kelley, grew up in Madison, Conn., and went on to play lacrosse and football at University of Massachusetts (UMass-Amherst). And Will's great-grandfather, Alva Kelley, was an NCAA All-American football player at Cornell University back in 1939 when Cornell's football team won a national championship. He later shifted to the sidelines as a college football coach, becoming the head coach at Colgate, Hobart, and Brown University.
Will Levis got his start playing football at Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut. Will then went to Penn State University where he twice earned academic All-Big Ten honors. He appeared in only 15 games for the Nittany Lions with one start before he transferred to the University of Kentucky in 2021. At Kentucky, Will started 24 games and is second all-time in wins and finished with 5,233 passing yards.
Levis' Bloodlines Shaped His NFL Path
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Will Levis projects as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. Most draft analysts don't expect him to be on the board after the 10th pick. Mock drafts have him going as high as second overall to the Texans; however, most NFL Draft analysts, like ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., have him landing in Indianapolis with the quarterback-needy Colts with the No. 4 pick.
You never know what might happen in the NFL Draft, but Will Levis has tremendous upside as an NFL talent and should excel in whichever franchise lands him on Thursday. One thing is for sure: his family, including parents Beth and Mike Levis as well as his sisters, are heading to Kansas City to be a part of the Draft Day celebrations.
