Throwback Thursday: How Levi Wallace Went From Tucson to Tuscaloosa and Walked On Alabama

Former Crimson Tide cornerback, who signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Steelers, has had a lot of practice proving his critics wrong.

The following is a version of a story that was first published in 2017. On Tuesday, Levi Wallace signed a two-year deal worth $8 million with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The radio-show caller stumped the host Monday morning, even though the University of Alabama campus was in the heart of the station’s listening area.

“Who is Levi Wallace?” he asked. “Where did he come from?”

Florida State fans probably had the same reaction Saturday night, especially after he came off the bench to help settle down the Crimson Tide defense during the 24-7 victory. The senior’s third-quarter interception was when many of them knew for sure how the highly-touted No. 1 vs. No. 3 showdown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium would turn out.

“I don’t remember him going through recruiting or anything,” the radio caller continued.

That’s because he didn’t. Wallace was a terrific high school athlete on the other side of the country, but never had any Division I offers. He didn’t plan to play college football, just be a college student.

He’s on the Crimson Tide roster because of his father, Walter, who hailed from Tuscaloosa and was a big Crimson Tide fan.

The son walked on to the team in January of his freshman year in 2014.

Four months later, on the morning of the Crimson Tide spring celebration known as A-Day, Levi found out his father had died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was a 58.

Levi still played, and has been playing for him ever since.

“I think about him all the time right before I go out onto the field. I look up and thank him for the opportunity, for believing in me,” Levi said.

“He’s always on my mind.”

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The interception that started it all. Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Levi Wallace (39) intercepts a pass against Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Nyqwan Murray (8) and wide receiver Auden Tate (18) in the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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Levi Wallace played in 11 games as a reserve and on special teams in 2016, before taking on the starting role the following season. Wallace led the Tide with 15 pass breakups, also intercepting three passes while teams also had to contend with Minkah Fitzpatrick and Anthony Averett. He also had 48 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and two sacks.

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An emotional Levi Wallace celebrates a victory against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2018 CFP national championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

From Tucson to Tuscaloosa

Walter Lee Wallace Jr. was married for 24 years and spent 21 in the Air Force. He also started and developed numerous businesses in Tucson, Ariz., including Three Points Childcare and Preschool, and coached the Arizona Titans Track Club.

He was close to his sons, Levi and Lawrence, and used to bring them to his hometown.

“His dad was just a great guy,” Tucson High Magnet School football coach Justin Argraves said. “He was al- ways around, supporting the program, supporting Levi and Lawrence.”

Levi was a two-way standout who never left the field for the Badgers, and that’s not an exaggeration. He started at defensive back, going from corner to safety, played wide receiver on offense and was also the return man on special teams.

“Tremendous kid,” the coach added. “When I met first him he was like 6-foot, lucky to weigh 150 pounds. Just a respectful young man. Did everything you asked.”

Because of his size, Wallace didn’t get a sniff from any Division I programs and just some looks from smaller colleges. You can’t find his original profile on any recruiting database, only as a college player who was added in later on.

The plan all along was for both brothers to attend Alabama, taking advantage of a GI Bill benefit for tuition. Even when Argraves took over his program in 2011, Levi told him he would be attending Alabama, where he hoped to walk on, and younger brother Lawrence aimed to join the track team.

But the father was diagnosed with ALS right before Levi left for Tuscaloosa in the fall of 2013.

“I had a lot going on in my life, so I was really ready to let football go,” he said. “My dad just kind of convinced me, ‘Just see how good you are.’ I wanted to see how it is going up against some of the best athletes, some of the best receivers that come to the University of Alabama. I just wanted to see how good I was.

“He just said he believed in me, he always believed in me and my abilities. He said, ‘You’re a great football player, so you might as well give it a shot and see where things go.”’

It took two years of working, learning and developing, of coming back every day to measure up against those the university had already invested in, with no guarantees for tomorrow. Along the way, a former high school teammate was killed back in Arizona, adding to the grief he already felt for his father.

“It was real hard on Levi,” Argraves said.

But during fall camp last year Wallace was awarded a scholarship, along with his good friend, linebacker Jamey Mosley.

He subsequently saw his first game action in the season opener against Southern California, making his first collegiate tackle and breaking up a pass.

Wallace played 11 games, became a special-teams staple and stepped in when cornerback Marlon Humphrey had to leave the Iron Bowl with a leg injury. He saw time in the SEC Championship Game, the Peach Bowl semifinal and the National Championship Game.

“He’s one of the best technicians on the Alabama defense,” defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick said at the time.

“That’s why he’s out there.”

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Levi Wallace wasn't selected in the 2018 NFL Draft. The knocks on him were that he was too skinny, didn't have the necessary strength to stand up to the punishment of the NFL and he would struggle against big physical receivers who could knock him off-balance. Buffalo signed him as a free agent. 

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Needless, to say, Wallace proved his critics wrong. Despite not having the height and body mass of most players at his position, he added weight and played at the necessary strength level. Before long, he was starting for the Bills. 

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"He's the opposite of all the other guys on that defense. I think he was a zero stars prospect and he's turned himself into a starter all the way from being a walk-on. To do that at Alabama tells you about his mental toughness. He can play a little bit too." - AFC team regional scout

A regular part of the depth chart

Wallace came into this season with 11 career tackles, two passes broken up and a quarterback hurry, but has been in the mix at left cornerback since the early parts of fall camp, when Nick Saban called him, “one of the guys that we’re looking to create a role for.” He soon started splitting reps with converted wide receiver Trevon Diggs with the first-team defense.

Diggs started and played the first two series against FSU, when the Seminoles had drives of eight and 11 plays while tallying 127 yards and seven points. On one play in front of the Alabama bench, Diggs got shoved back by a wide receiver and landed on his rear.

Wallace was inserted for the subsequent possession and Florida State managed just 123 total yards the rest of the game.

He was credited with two tackles, but the play that made everyone ask, “Who’s No. 39?” was on the second snap following running back Damien Harris’ 11-yard touchdown run. Wallace made the correct read on a Deondre Francois attempt to Auden Tate and snared his first career interception.

“He understands the system, understands and can make the adaptions,” Saban said. “I think he was a little more comfortable in the game, being a big game, first game, all that. I think Trevon was a little nervous, a little anxious, made a couple of mistakes early. But I think it’s important that both of those guys can play well for us.”

Levi Wallace: "Coach Saban does a great job of developing players, walk-ons and 5-stars as well. So hats off to him, all glory goes to him." 

Both will almost certainly play in Saturday’s home opener against Fresno State, and with Alabama’s numerous injuries Mosley could be at strong-side linebacker depending on the Bulldogs’ formation.

So yes, there could be two former walk-ons starting on what’s been college football’s most imposing defense over the past decade, alongside the likes of Fitzpatrick, Da’Shawn Hand, Da’Ron Payne ...

“Ever since I came in, I couldn’t believe he was a walk-on,” senior linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton said about Wallace. “He’s one of those under-the-radar guys and everybody inside the program knows how good he is. A guy who comes ready to work every day. I’m just glad he’s on our team.”

So was his dad, obviously, plus Wallace already has his business degree. “I hope I made him proud,” Levi said.

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Wallace started 52 regular-season games for the Bills. Along with making a pair of interceptions, Wallace set career highs in pass breakups (10) and tackles (58) during the 2021 season. 

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On Tuesday, Wallace agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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A nice bonus of the free-agent signing is that it reunites him with former Crimson Tide teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick. 

A version of this story was originally published by SEC Country in 2017.