Auburn walk-on Jake Levant earns football scholarship

Auburn walk-on Jake Levant earns football scholarshipAuburn walk-on Jake Levant earns football scholarship

Teammates congratulate scholarship recipient Jake Levant

AUBURN, Ala. – A graphic on the video board at Jordan-Hare Stadium displayed the good news, but Auburn linebacker Jake Levant didn't see it.

He was too busy being hugged by happy teammates.

"I was being swallowed by the whole thing," he said. "Someone told me about it."

During Auburn's practice Saturday morning, head coach Bryan Harsin gathered the team at midfield, going over some teaching points before breaking the news that Levant had earned a football scholarship.

"It was honestly surreal," Levant said. "It took me a second to realize what was happening. It shows the family we've built. All the things we've been through together draws us closer. I love every single one of those guys. Every single one of those guys loves me. I'm really proud to be part of a family like the team."
 Head coach Bryan Harsin announces Jake Levant's scholarship 
"Awesome moment," said Harsin, who corrected Levant for raising his hands in accountability after holding during a drill before telling the team about the scholarship. "He's a guy who deserves it. He's a hard worker."

"All of a sudden people are jumping on me, I'm like, 'What just happened?'" Levant said. "I had no clue."

Harsin lauded Levant for his academic achievements and said the 6-1, 224-pounder has earned starting roles on two of Auburn's special teams units.

A sophomore from Vestavia Hills High School near Birmingham, Levant declined scholarship offers from smaller schools to walk on at Auburn, the university his four older siblings each attended.

"My whole family's been here," he said. "It's a family environment and it drew me to it. I decided I wanted to come here and play in the SEC. I thought I had the ability to do it and the work to do it. I felt like the Lord was calling me here."

Returning to practice, Levant intercepted a pass in seven-on-seven.

"The pick was a good cherry on top," said Levant, whose father attended the practice while his mother traveled home from North Carolina. "That was an emotional moment. I can't wait to see my mom when she gets here. I know they know that I put my life into this sport. It's a huge deal for me. They're really grateful."
 Jake Levant tackles Tyler Fromm during Auburn's first preseason scrimmage
Levant shared his advice for other walk-ons who aspire to follow his path.

"Put your head down and work," he said. "Don't worry about everything else on the outside. You should be motivated by your love for the game, not a scholarship. You should play whether you're playing for free or not. If you have the right mentality then people notice and you'll get noticed.

"You start from the bottom so you've got to grind your way up, but that's how it is for every team in America. If you work hard, you will get noticed. It doesn't go unnoticed.

"I want to thank Coach Harsin and the staff for recognizing me and giving me this opportunity to help out me and my family."
 

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer