By Mallory Mattingly
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and defensive end Ahmed Hassanein made history at this year’s NFL Draft, and both gave God the glory.
Jeanty was selected in the first round by the Las Vegas Raisers. As the No. 6 pick, he became the highest-drafted player in Boise State history, according to Sports Spectrum.
When asked what he would say to his younger self, the running back spoke about the importance of keeping the faith.
“Just continue to trust in God and your abilities, and stay disciplined,” he declared. “All your goals and dreams are accomplish-able.”
Jeanty then elaborated more on his faith during his introductory press conference with the Raiders.
“[Faith is] everything,” the running back reiterated. “That’s what I’ve been rooted in. That’s what helped me get to where I’m at in this point. I’m just thankful for that relationship with the Man upstairs because it’s given me so many opportunities.”
Jeanty also spent time with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes while at Boise State.
“I like to say that I’m a Christian cleverly disguised as an All-American running back,” Jeanty explained in a video for FCA. “I’ve learned that God has blessed me with amazing talents. I’ve just been able to do a lot of great things with it, but at the same time, not losing yourself in it and understanding that my identity is in Christ.”
“This [Boise] community has helped me grow tremendously. It’s very welcoming, it’s not forceful, it’s not aggressive in any type of way,” he continued. “It’s the way God would want it to be, and I could see — even before stepping foot on this campus — that God had His hands on this program. I could see that Christianity was a big thing here and that guys were real big on their faith. I learned to embrace that, and all the guys and people around the facility have embraced me.”
A few days after Jeanty heard his name called, Hassanein became the first Egyptian drafted to the NFL.
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Hassanein, selected in the sixth round as the 196th pick, had trouble finding the words to describe how he felt.
“It means the world to me. I can’t describe how I’m feeling right now,” Hassanein told the Detroit Lions. “It’s a dream come true, and I couldn’t pick a better team. I’m so grateful, I’m so honored, I’m so blessed to be a Detroit Lion. I’m just super grateful. It means the world to me, seriously.”
Later on, Hassanein thanked God for the opportunity to be the first Egyptian player drafted.
“Just hearing you say that [I’m the first Egyptian drafted], it brings me so much sense of gratitude and gratefulness that the Lord has put me in. All glory to Jesus, man. I’m just happy, I’m just grateful, and I’m just ready to get to work.”
After Hassanein got his name called, he turned to his girlfriend, got down on one knee and proposed to her.
“THE DAY KEEPS GETTING BETTER,” Boise State Football shared in a post on Instagram. “Congratulations to Ahmed and Payson!”
As Boise State players Jeanty and Hassanein made history at this year’s NFL draft, they point to how their faith in God has impacted their lives, a trend likely to continue for them as they begin their NFL careers.
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