At 31, former Alabama cornerback Levi Wallace is done with football. He walked on in Tuscaloosa, won two national titles under Nick Saban, and stayed in the NFL for eight seasons even though scouts said he was too light and too slow. He was never the ideal prospect, but he played like his roster spot was always at risk.

On July 17, he posted a short video on Instagram and summed up his career in four lines: “Walk-on. Undrafted. 8 years. Retired. Not bad.” Crimson Coverage also reported his retirement.

In 2013, Wallace was just another student at Alabama, tossing a football in intramurals until his father urged him to walk on to the team. He joined the squad in 2014 and spent two years on the scout team, taking hits from future NFL players with no scholarship to show for it. His work finally paid off with a scholarship ahead of the 2016 season.

Wallace broke into the rotation in 2016, appearing in 11 games and playing well enough to become the starting left cornerback in 2017. He saw action in 14 games that season, with a notable showing against Ole Miss, then started in Alabama’s win over Georgia that clinched the 2017 national title. Over his college career, he finished with 59 tackles and 20 pass breakups. Even with two Saban championships on his résumé, 2015 and 2017, his light frame and walk-on background made NFL teams hesitate.

At 6 feet and 179 pounds, teams worried about his size and speed, and he went undrafted in 2018. He used that as motivation, making the Buffalo Bills and earning a starting role as a rookie. Most undrafted corners do not stick around long, but Wallace lasted eight seasons and started 72 games. He spent four years in Buffalo, two in Pittsburgh, one with Denver in 2024, and a short run with Jacksonville in 2025.

Levi Wallace signed with Jacksonville in 2025, but an undisclosed injury put him on injured reserve before the preseason began. He never appeared in a regular-season game for the Jaguars, was waived with an injury settlement, and missed the entire 2025 season. The way his last year played out made the next step clear. Over eight NFL seasons, he posted 333 tackles, 12 interceptions and 56 pass breakups across 96 games. If he moves into mentoring, that track record will do a lot of the talking.

A year ago, Alabama witnessed another goodbye

C. J. Mosley, another former Alabama linebacker, walked a similar path as a two-time national champion under Nick Saban. His time in Tuscaloosa was standout from day one. He set school records, won the Butkus Award and SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and went on to play eleven seasons in the NFL.

In June 2025, Mosley announced his retirement in an emotional post. “Today, it is time to wake up from my childhood dream and share it with the next generation,” he wrote on Instagram that year.

“I spent my whole life and career building my legacy. Now it’s time to start a new chapter with new dreams. It won’t be easy, but I’m here to tell you every sacrifice is worth it. When you wake up, what will your legacy look like?” added Mosley.

After retirement, he became a sports entrepreneur, and he has his own agency. The paths of players like Mosley and Wallace can serve as a model for young Tide defenders who want long careers.