Congrats To Jalen And Jack — And Tiger

So where was the mock NFL draft that had Jalen Travis selected 17 spots ahead of Shedeur Sanders?

It must be somewhere, right? With all of the mock drafts that were out there — and there had to be thousands — surely someone must have realized that Sanders was dropping into the fifth round. No? 

Oh well. Just keep that in mind when next year's mock drafts come along. What's that? They're already out there?

Sanders was selected by the Cleveland Browns with pick No. 144. Travis, the Princeton alum, was taken by the Indianapolis Colts at 127. 

Travis is an offensive lineman who graduated from Princeton and then played last year as a grad student at Iowa State. If you think he's forgotten his time at Princeton as a football player, as well as a student and citizen, then check this out:

Forever grateful for @Princeton. @TravisWJalen | #JUICE 🍊🥤 pic.twitter.com/rPuhYVv6AT

— Princeton Football (@PrincetonFTBL) April 27, 2025

That's pretty special stuff right there. 

TigerBlog's interest in the draft was not about Sanders. He's glad teams seem to have gotten past the notion that if you draft a quarterback really high in the first round that he will necessarily be good.

The most recent Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Jalen Hurts, was a second-round pick, 53rd overall. Only eight quarterbacks have been drafted No. 1 overall and won a Super Bowl: Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Drew Bledsoe, Troy Aikman, Terry Bradshaw, Jim Plunkett, John Elway — and David Carr.

The list of quarterbacks who have flopped after being a top five pick is far longer than the ones who are in Canton. Oh well. Which list will Cam Ward make?

TB's interest in the draft was minimal. He watched none of it and followed only cursorily, with his main interest on two players — none of whom was named Sanders. 

Travis, as a Princeton alum, was the first. During his time at Princeton, Travis was involved all over the campus and the community, a gentle giant (6-8, 340 pounds) who had a positive impact on so many. 

The other player was Texas Christian wide receiver Jack Bech. 

It was Bech's brother Tiger who was wide receiver/kick returner at Princeton. As you know, Tiger Bech was murdered along with 13 others when a truck rammed them in New Orleans in the early hours this past New Year's Day. 

The horrific tragedy touched everyone in the Princeton Football family, most especially Bech's teammate and best friend, Ryan Quigley. It was a miracle that Quigley was one of the survivors of the attack, as he was standing really close to Bech when it all happened. 

For Quigley, the incident left him emotionally and physically battered. At the same time, it also brought out a strength in him that has been inspirational to anyone who has been around him. 

That includes TigerBlog, who met with him only a few days into the New Year, and the Philadelphia Eagles, Quigley's hometown team, who adopted him along the way to their Super Bowl championship. When the parade went by to celebrate, Quigley was made a part of it. 

It also showed the incredible love and resolve of the Bech family. To have gone through what they have? Who could imagine? 

Jack Bech would end up as the Most Valuable Player at the Senior Bowl. And then, this past weekend, he had his named called in Round 2, with the 58th overall selection, by the Las Vegas Raiders. 

TB also video of the Bech family together, after the selection. It was like most family celebrations in the same situation, a joy at seeing all of the hard work rewarded with a ticket to the highest level in the sport. 

This one wasn't the same. This one was personal, for TB and for anyone the Bech family has come in contact with in 2025. 

TB saw Michelle hug her son. He saw the smiles and the laughter and the happiness in the moment. 

No family has ever deserved it more. 

TigerBlog hardly knows the family well at all, other than having met with Michelle, Tiger's mother, and texted with Jack. He sent congratulations to both after the word came down of his selection.

He doesn't know them well. He knows them well enough to know that if you asked them, they'd all tell you, every Bech, that Tiger was there celebrating as well.