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NFL Draft Prospect Has 'Superpower' After Brother's Death

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Apr 17, 2025 1:11 PM ET

Jack Bech will look to achieve a lifelong dream he shared with his late brother by making it to the NFL.

Tiger Bech, a former Princeton football player, was among the 14 people killed in the New Year's attack in New Orleans. His younger brother, Jack, enters the 2025 NFL Draft as a projected Day 2 pick.

Before the draft, Jack told ESPN's Dave Wilson that he's motivated to honor Tiger in the NFL.

"Whatever team gets me, it's going to be a two-for-one special. Not only do you get Jack Bech, you get Tiger Bech too," Jack said. "I have a superpower now. I have another presence about me that just can't lose."

Tiger Bech was a wide receiver and All-Ivy League kick returner at Princeton, where he tallied 825 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He worked as a stockbroker in New York before dying at age 27 when a pickup truck drove through a crowded Bourbon Street.

Jack spent two seasons as a wide receiver at LSU before transferring to TCU. He registered 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns during a breakout 2024 season.

After Tiger's death, Jack was named MVP after scoring a game-winning touchdown at the Senior Bowl.

"I knew I was about to catch that ball and score that touchdown," Jack said. "My brother's name was written in the clouds above us. Just so many signs."

Those close to Jack also feel he's using Tiger's loss as motivation. TCU head coach Sonny Dykes described the tragedy as "rocket fuel."

"Some people could have spun off the rails after you lose your best friend, but it did the total opposite with Jack," St. Thomas More coach Dave LeBlanc said. "Jack was going to be in the league with or without Tiger's passing, but Tiger's passing kind of propelled him."

St. Thomas More wide receivers coach Lance Strother shared a similar message, telling ESPN that Jack is "bound, determined, and on fire to bring to the fullest potential his talent and ability in honor of Tiger."

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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