Inside Axtell Football With Senior Quarterback Levi Leathers

Axtell senior quarterback Levi Leathers has spent four years growing into the leader the Longhorns need, and that experience is showing early in the 2026 season.

On the Texas HS Football Podcast, Leathers joined host Taylor Arenz to talk about Axtell’s 2-0 start, his development at quarterback, and what this senior season means after back-to-back trips to the regional final.

Leathers said one of the biggest improvements in his game has been reading defenses. As a freshman, he was more locked onto one or two options. Now, he feels much more comfortable working through reads and making better decisions. He has also grown into a more vocal leader after spending his first two seasons as one of the younger players on the team.

Axtell has already made an early statement. The Longhorns opened 2-0 and then shut out Mart 44-0, a win Leathers said meant a lot because of Mart’s tradition and reputation. He also credited Axtell’s defense, coaching staff and younger offensive linemen for stepping up.

Leathers is also a three-sport athlete and an Arkansas baseball commit, but football still means plenty to him. He said the idea of not playing football at the next level is difficult to imagine and that he would consider a two-sport opportunity if the right one came along.

For now, the focus is on one last run with teammates he has played alongside since childhood.

After falling in the fourth round each of the past two seasons, Axtell’s senior group knows exactly what is left to chase