Fans type “where is will levis from” when they search online. They want to know his home roots and how he rose to the NFL. Most pages list stats but skip his family and town. This post will fill that gap.
He hails from Madison, Connecticut. He grew up by the water on Long Island Sound. He played at Penn State and Kentucky before the Tennessee Titans picked him in the second round in 2023.
This post will trace his hometown stops, his mentors, and his path to the NFL. Keep reading.
Key Takeaways
- Will Levis was born on June 27, 1999 in Newton, Massachusetts, and grew up in Madison, Connecticut near Long Island Sound before starring at Xavier High School in Middletown, where he threw for 2,793 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior and totaled 5,419 passing yards and 55 passing touchdowns in his prep career.
- He redshirted at Penn State in 2018 and, over two seasons (2019–2020), completed 61 of 102 passes for 644 yards and three touchdowns, added 473 rushing yards and six scores, and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors twice before graduating with a finance degree in May 2021.
- Levis transferred to Kentucky in 2021, led the Wildcats to a 10-win season, produced 24 passing touchdowns and nine rushing scores, posted six 300-yard passing games, and threw a career-best 419 yards with four touchdowns on September 4, 2021.
- The Tennessee Titans selected him with the 33rd overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft; he debuted on October 29, 2023 with 238 yards and four touchdowns (19 of 29 passing) for a 130.5 passer rating and finished his rookie year with 1,808 yards, eight touchdowns, and an 84.2 rating.
- At age 26, Levis holds a master’s degree in finance (December 2022), ranks as the highest NFL pick from Kentucky since 1999, and hosts youth camps—most recently the QBMotion LAUNCH in May 2024—while recovering from shoulder surgery scheduled for July 29, 2025.
Will Levis’ Hometown
Madison, Connecticut, sits on a rocky shore. Will Levis grew up there, tossing footballs on quiet streets, honing his passer rating and studying drills on a web browser.
Where He Was Born
Will Levis arrived in Newton, Massachusetts, on June 27, 1999. His parents, Michael and Beth Kelley Levis, held him tight in that tiny ward. Crisp New England air greeted his first breath.
Local doctors teased his roar matched a rookie quarterback’s pep, like a raw signal caller. Newborns cannot display pass efficiency yet, but that cry lit a spark.
Key Features of His Hometown
Madison, Connecticut, hugs Long Island Sound. It offers quiet streets, family farms, and town parks. Locals join youth sports at community fields. Will Levis learned football, basketball, and baseball on those grounds.
Town schools pushed him into the National Honor Society, and he became an academic standout.
He rode to Xavier High School in Middletown each day. He learned under Andy Guyon, the coach who built a fast offense. Levis led the squad to local titles and earned the Hartford Courant Offensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2018.
Scouts named him the No. 2 football player in Connecticut. He still credits that program for his growth.
Early Life and Influences
He grew up in Madison, Connecticut, tossing balls with his dad, Mike Levis, who taught him leadership under center, reading defenses, and grit as a runner. His mom, Beth Kelley Levis, cheered at every makeshift game, while he scribbled plays in old notebooks, hungry for that next big thrill.
Family and Upbringing
Will Levis hails from Middletown, Connecticut, and grew up in a lively sports home. Beth Kelley Levis made the Connecticut Girls’ Soccer Association Hall of Fame for her soccer feats.
Mike Levis caught passes as a tight end at Denison University. Siblings Kelley, Jillian, and Claire cheered on his backyard drills.
Alva Kelley, his great-grandfather, won a national title with Cornell in 1939 and earned All-America honors. David Kelley, his uncle, grabbed Academic All-America accolades at Yale.
That athletic banner gave Will resolve and grit as a runner. He learned leadership under center and signal caller poise at backyard scrimmages.
Early Exposure to Football
He began playing organized football while growing up in Madison, Connecticut. His family had multiple generations of college athletes. His parents, Beth Kelley Levis and Mike Levis, cheered at youth games.
He mixed gridiron drills, honors classes and baseball at Xavier High School, earning a spot in the National Honor Society.
He served as a counselor at the Manning Passing Academy each summer. Recruiters then tagged him a three-star recruit and rated him the No. 28 pro style quarterback in the 2018 recruiting class.
He added leadership under center with accurate passes and gritty runs, earning passing touchdowns, rushing touchdowns and respect.
High School Journey
He lit up the score board at Xavier High and snagged the Hartford Courant offensive MVP. He threw 32 passing touchdowns, led as signal caller, claimed skipper duties and showed grit as a runner.
Athletic Achievements
Will Levis shone at Xavier High School. He set the bar high in both passing and rushing.
- As a signal caller at Xavier High School, Levis threw for 2,793 passing yards and 27 touchdowns in his senior year.
- He recorded 1,972 passing yards, 19 aerial touchdowns and six rushing scores as a junior in 2016.
- His high school totals hit 5,419 passing yards and 55 passing touchdowns by the end of 2017.
- He also added 327 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns across his prep career.
- The local press named him Hartford Courant Offensive Player of the Year and placed him on the All-Courant first team.
- He earned second-team Walter Camp All-Connecticut honors and joined the CHSCA Top 25 list.
- Xavier High School rose to a top spot in SCC Tier 1 under his lead, and recruiting analysts ranked him as Connecticut’s No. 2 player.
Development as a Quarterback
Levis shined as the varsity starter at Xavier High School, earning three letters in three years. He set a program mark with the most completions in a season during his senior year.
His arm and legs drew notice at the Elite 11 camp, where he claimed the SPARQ MVP award in 2017. Teammates rallied around his leadership under center. He piled up passing touchdowns and rushing scores, blending accuracy from the pocket with grit as a runner.
Outside games he hit the books, joined National Honor Society, balanced plays with grades. Coaches praised his film study and use of the playbook, a training tool that sharpened reads in tight windows.
Dual-threat skills and mental toughness became trademarks, as Levis built a foundation for college and beyond.
College Football Career
He honed his skills as a signal caller with the Penn State Nittany Lions, piling up passing touchdowns and sharpening his accuracy from the pocket during late-night film study. He then joined the Kentucky Wildcats, where he flashed grit as a runner, racked up rushing yards, and sparked bowl runs that got NFL scouts on their feet.
Transition to College Football
Will Levis redshirted as a freshman at Penn State in 2018. He joined practice squads, soaked up plays, and saved a year of eligibility. He took the field in 2019, throwing 28 of 47 passes for 223 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in seven games.
He dashed on 51 rushes for 213 yards and three scores. A year later, he started one game among eight, going 33 of 55 for 421 yards and one touchdown, plus 82 carries for 260 yards and three more scores.
Penn State named him Academic All-Big Ten twice. He earned his finance degree from the Smeal College of Business in May 2021.
Levis picked Kentucky as his next stop in 2021. The graduate transfer move gave him a fresh start. He hit the ground running in fall drills at Kentucky. He tapped lessons from the Smeal College of Business in film study sessions.
That focus helped him as a signal caller.
Key Moments at Penn State and Kentucky
He joined Penn State as a freshman backup. Next he became a starter at Kentucky.
- Enrolled at Penn State University in 2018 after high school, took reps in film review sessions with the scouting staff.
- Transferred to University of Kentucky in 2021 and won the starting signal caller spot in spring drills.
- Posted a career best 419 passing yards and four scores against New Mexico State on September 4, 2021, using savvy playbook reads.
- Guided Wildcats to a 10-win season in 2021, only the fourth time Kentucky enjoyed that mark in school history.
- Registered 24 aerial touchdowns and nine rushing scores during the 2021 campaign, showcasing grit as a runner and accuracy from the pocket.
- Achieved six 300-yard passing outings, ranking fourth all time in Kentucky Wildcats history.
- Engineered a 58-yard game-winning drive at Missouri in 2022, showcasing leadership under center in hostile road conditions.
- Closed 2022 with 2,406 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and fourth best pass efficiency rating at 151.9 in the SEC, as tracked by league stat chart.
- Earned spots on Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, Davey O’Brien, Manning Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year watch lists.
Path to the NFL
He shone in the league’s metric tests, showing grit as a runner and accuracy from the pocket. The Music City squad claimed him in the spring selection, and fans buzzed about this first-year signal caller.
NFL Draft Journey
Will Levis entered the NFL Draft as a top prospect from Kentucky. At the 2023 NFL Combine, scouts watched his drills closely. His accuracy from the pocket and grit as a runner stood out.
He ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.7 seconds, tossed passes in positional drills, and impressed talent evaluators. Teams noticed his arm strength and field vision.
The Tennessee Titans used the 33rd overall pick in the second round to secure the rookie quarterback. The move made him the third signal caller taken in the 2023 draft class. Titans GM Mike Borgonzi and Head Coach Brian Callahan praised his poise and leadership under center.
The pick marked a milestone for Connecticut and Kentucky football history, as it ranked as the highest selection since Tim Couch went second overall in 1999.
Joining the Tennessee Titans
Titans drafted Levis in 2023. They needed a rookie signal caller. He took over on October 29, 2023, versus the Falcons. He went 19 of 29 for 238 yards, four touchdowns, and a 130.5 passer rating.
That outing set a team mark for a debut, with at least 20 throws. Teammates saw his accuracy from the pocket and grit as a runner.
He started nine games and passed for 1,808 yards and eight scores, while keeping an 84.2 rating. He hit a career best of 327 yards and one touchdown in Week 14. That 28-27 win came on Monday Night Football against the Dolphins, making him the first rookie quarterback to top 300 yards in prime time.
Coaches watched his game film and praised his leadership under center. He finished the season with a shoulder injury and faced surgery on July 29, 2025.
Will Levis’ Age and Milestones
Here is a glance at his age and milestones.
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current Age | 26, born June 27, 1999 |
| NFL Debut | October 29, 2023 at age 24 with Tennessee Titans |
| Master’s Degree | December 2022 in finance at Kentucky’s Gatton Business School |
| Ranked Opponent Wins | First six starts vs ranked teams, first since Tim Couch in 1998 |
| Academic Honor | 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Member of the Year |
| College Record | 17-7 as starter at Kentucky, tied for second-most since 1993 |
| Total Touchdowns | 54 at Kentucky, including 43 passing and 11 rushing |
| Community Service | Hosted QBMotion LAUNCH youth camp in May 2024 and led service campaigns |
Takeaway
Will’s journey begins in Middletown, CT. He honed his arm and grit as a runner there. Each Sunday he shows leadership under center with the team. Fans call him a born signal caller.
His finance degrees from a business school and an economics school show his brain behind the brawn. The fans cheer his first wins. This tale blends home pride with NFL grit.
FAQs
1. Where did Will Levis grow up?
He grew up in Madison, Connecticut. He played at the local high school, Xavier High School. His mom, Beth Kelley Levis, and his dad, Mike Levis, cheered him on. He won Walter Camp all-Connecticut honors. He was also the Hartford Courant offensive player of the year.
2. How did he shine in college?
He joined the Kentucky Wildcats at the University of Kentucky. He studied finance at the Gatton School of Business and Economics. He threw big passing touchdowns and added rushing touchdowns. He then moved to Penn State University, and he joined the Smeal College of Business. He made the National Honor Society.
3. What off-field honors did he earn?
He earned the Brother Celestine Academic Award. He became a Ryken Scholar. He made Academic All-America. He also worked on a master’s degree in finance at the business school.
4. How did he land with the Tennessee Titans?
He impressed scouts at a training camp with his leadership under center. They saw his accuracy from the pocket and his grit as a runner. The Tennessee Titans picked him as their rookie signal caller. Fans hope he lights up Monday Night Football like he did in college bowl appearances.
5. Which pro stars does he study?
He watches Marcus Mariota and Fran Tarkenton on tape. He checks out DeAndre Hopkins and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. He studies moves from Johnny Unitas Golden Arm winners and Davey O’Brien QB class heroes. He learns from legends but adds his own spark.
6. How does he give back off the field?
He works with the Amachi Organization to mentor youth. He joined a cameo campaign to raise funds. He visits local camps and Lipscomb Academy. He shares his story and hustle with kids who need a boost.







