By Mallory Mattingly
As the 2026 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday night, college seniors from around the country are ready for their name to be called, including Oregon long snapper Luka Basso and Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green.
Both lean on the Lord as they enter this exciting moment.
“The platform that I have, I don’t take it for granted, and anytime I get an opportunity, I thank God, ‘Thank you for having me for this opportunity.’ Just to give all praise to Jesus, because I wouldn’t be here standing today without him,” Green told Sports Spectrum at the Senior Bowl in January.
Basso said, “You know, football is — I talked to Josh Bidwell, my chaplain at Oregon, about this a lot — it’s a terrible god. It’s everything else that you put on this pedestal. It’s a terrible god because, you know, one day the ball’s gonna go flat.”
“And just keeping my eyes on Jesus the entire way, talking to Him throughout the game and every rep, you know, staying grounded, 10 toes down in my faith,” the long snapper continued. “It carried me through everything, and it made it all easier. Made it more simple. No matter what I faced, I knew that I was going to get through it with God.”
Related: Arkansas QB Proclaims His Faith in Christ
Green, who has Philippians 4:13 written in his Instagram bio, was at the NFL combine at the beginning in March. He not only performed well, but he set several records.
“The long-strided 23-year-old blistered his way to a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, the first quarterback to run under 4.4 seconds in the drill since at least 2003. Robert Griffin III set the previous record (4.41) in 2012,” Sports Spectrum said.
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The quarterback also recorded a “43.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot-2 broad jump, both combine records for quarterbacks since at least 2003.”
He held onto Proverbs 3:5-6, sharing the verse alongside photos from the combine.
Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
“First, the most important person in my life is Jesus Christ,” Green said later, crediting his performance to Christ.
In 2024, he emphasized that “Without Jesus, I’m nothing. Without His love and His care and His guidance just going through my whole life — the ups and downs that I’ve been through — He’s the only truth and the way to help me through.”
No matter what round or which pick Basso and Green are, their faith in God will keep them strong.
Read Next: Oregon Football Star’s Faith Makes Him a Better Athlete
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