Jordyn Tyson celebrated with his family in the green room and was making his way out to the NFL draft stage to greet commissioner Roger Goodell, but then he stopped and dropped to one knee for several moments -- not far from the logo of the New Orleans Saints team that had just drafted him.
Brought to you by TRANESOUTH: It's hard to stop a Tranewww.audacy.comTyson was praying, he said, but also overcome with emotion. When he stood back tears were streaming down his face as he took the stage to take in his draft moment.
"It was on the walk up, just started just thinking about where I came from," Tyson told WWL Radio, "where the Lord has brought me from and I just had to get on one knee, pray to him right quick, say thank you to him, my gratitude, because I would not be able to be here without him.”
Jordyn Tyson was emotional after being drafted by the Saints 🥹 pic.twitter.com/riQBXDgyMw
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) April 24, 2026
Tyson added that a lot of the emotion came from a simple idea: "I wasn't supposed to be here."
That's because heading into his sophomore year of high school Tyson was only 5-4 he said. His limited size forced him to develop as a route-runner, but high end college football and the NFL was a bit of a pipe dream. Then the growth spurt hit. Tyson grew 8 inches by the end of his junior season and he now enters the NFL at 6-2, 205 pounds.
“My brother was always super tall and my feet was always super big," Tyson said, "so we knew I had a chance.”
That brother just happens to be Jaylon Tyson, a premiere athlete who at 6-6 is a key member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The elder Tyson was playing in a playoff game at the same time that Jordyn was drafted. Jordyn credited his brother for helping establish the type of work ethic that led to the NFL draft selection, and it all started in that junior season. Jordyn began following Jaylon to Lifetime Fitness for workouts in their home state of Texas, and that became a regular part of the routine.
“I decided that’s what I wanted to do instead of playing video games," Tyson said. "I just tagged along with him. ... That’s all we used to do every day.”
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Tyson ultimately committed to the University of Colorado, where he appeared in nine games before suffering a major knee injury that cost him the entire 2023 season. He ultimately transferred to Arizona State, where he found elite success under the mentorship of former NFL star Hines Ward, but also more injury trouble.
Tyson caught 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024 before a broken collarbone ended his season. He returned in 2025 to catch 61 passes for 711 yards and 8 touchdowns, but was forced to miss three games due to nagging hamstring injuries that also prevented the WR from fully participating in draft combine drills or Arizona State's pro day. That didn't stop the Saints from pulling the trigger at No. 8 overall and adding the dynamic pass-catcher to an offense that has seen several major additions already this offseason, including LG David Edwards, RB Travis Etienne and TE Noah Fant.
Time will tell whether betting on Tyson, whom many analysts had pegged as the top WR in the draft, but the player sees the scenario as a perfect fit.
“Very real. I knew they had a quarterback, that was a big thing, and also ... a great receiver on the other side that I can learn from and just see how he handles his business," Tyson said. "It’s just a match made in heaven, and we’re the Saints.”
The Saints will be back in action in the 2026 NFL draft on Friday, during which they currently hold the No. 42 and 73 selections.
