Levi Wentz, Pine-Richland grad and Valencia resident, signs with Seattle Seahawks
Levi Wentz said he was looking for an opportunity and he found one.
The Valencia resident and Pine-Richland graduate announced on his Instagram Saturday evening, April 25, that he was signed by the Seattle Seahawks.
Wentz, who played for Old Dominion, Albany and Kansas University, entered this year’s NFL draft hoping for a break, but was not initially projected to be picked.
“Realistically, yeah, I’m probably not going to be picked,” he previously said. “All I’m looking for is an opportunity.”
But around the sixth round of the draft, he said he received a call from the Seahawks telling him that they wanted to sign him as an undrafted free agent.
“It was kind of a crazy time,” he said Sunday.
Looking ahead to next season, he said he’s ready to get to work.
Wentz was in foster care when Brad and Bethany Wentz adopted him at age 10. His 6-year-old brother, Elijah, and 5-year-old sister, Naomi, were adopted by the family as well.
He said Sunday his parents were “through the roof” when they heard the news that he was signed.
“I think they didn’t expect it to go as far as it did. I don’t think any of us expected it to go as far as it did,” he said.
He initially played basketball at Pine-Richland and was considered a college prospect. But football was something he always wanted to try.
“Once I found my forever home, I just wanted to go for it,” he previously said of playing football.
However, his parents were not immediately approving of the change. His mother was worried he would get hurt and ruin a chance at a Division II or III basketball scholarship.
His father challenged him to do 100 consecutive push-ups to prove he was strong enough for the game.
“I practiced those push-ups, built up my stamina. That summer, I did them, and I was allowed to play,” Wentz previously said.
Wentz played one year of high school football as a defensive back with the Pine-Richland Rams, where he compiled 45 tackles, nine pass breakups and two interceptions and was invited to play in the Pennsylvania-Maryland Big 33 Football Classic.
He accepted a scholarship to Old Dominion to play defense, where he was tried as a cornerback, safety and linebacker. He ended up transferring to Albany and switching to wide receiver, catching 40 passes for 621 yards in 2024.
He transferred again to Kansas University, where he caught 16 passes for 258 yards and two scores. Despite the numbers, he was confident he was still growing as a player.
“Having played defense, I was used to the physical side of football and played that way as a receiver,” Levi Wentz said. “I love the contact, run aggressive patterns and win 50-50 balls. I know I’m developing late, but I’m getting there. All I needed is the exposure.”
Looking ahead to his time in the NFL, he said he sees it as even more opportunity to grow.
“Every time I put on the pads and go out onto the field, I see it as an opportunity to grow and improve,” he said.
Wentz said he sees the challenge of professional play as an uphill battle, but that’s something he feels he’s already used to.
Eagle correspondent John Enrietto contributed to this report.
