Jack Bech brother: How NFL Draft prospect has honored sibling Tiger after death in New Orleans terrorist attack

Colin Capece

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Jack Bech brother: How NFL Draft prospect has honored sibling Tiger after death in New Orleans terrorist attack image

Jack Bech will hear his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he'll carry his hero with him as he walks across the stage in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Bech's older brother, Tiger, was one of 14 people tragically killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack on New Year's Day. A former college football player at Princeton, Tiger was not only Jack's inspiration to play the game, but also his best friend.

In the months since his brother's death, Jack has felt his presence as he's worked towards achieving his dream of playing professional football. At the 2025 Senior Bowl on Feb. 1, he earned MVP honors with six catches for 68 yards and caught the winning touchdown as time expired. Tiger was watching over him the whole time.

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"My brother had some wings on me," Bech said after the game. "He gave them to me, and he let that all take place ... He was the best big brother I could have ever asked for. My whole goal the rest of my life is just to live his legacy."  

Here is what to know about Jack Bech and his older brother, Tiger.

Who is Jack Bech?

Jack Bech is a wide receiver prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft who has prototypical size for a slot receiver at 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds. He performed well at the NFL Combine, clocking in at 6.84 seconds in the 3-cone drill and 4.21 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle drill, both of which ranked eighth among all wide receivers. 

Bech's production in college shows he can contribute at the next level. In his senior season at TCU, he had a career-high 62 receptions, 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns. Bech averaged 16.7 yards per reception and 86.2 yards per game.

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What happened to Tiger Bech?

Tiger Bech was among 14 people killed in a deadly terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year's Day.

Bech was working as a stockbroker in New York and was in New Orleans for the holidays. His mother, Michelle, told ABC News that her son was "on top of the world" at the time of his death, and that he always lived life to the fullest.

Bech was a receiver and kick returner at Princeton from 2017 to 2019 and caught 53 passes for 825 yards with three touchdowns. His coach with the Tigers, Bob Surace, told ESPN that his former player always wanted to mentor and give back to the program that shaped him. 

"He was just starting a successful career in the business world," Surace said. "There were two or three times we had career nights, and you could call him with a day's notice, and he came down and shared his experiences as a young professional with our team."

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How has Jack Bech honored Tiger Bech?

Jack Bech has worked hard to honor his brother since his death.

At the Senior Bowl, Bech wore the No. 7, which was Tiger's number when he played at Princeton, as well as orange and black cleats with angel wings on one side and the bible verse, "And ye who stay on the path of righteousness shall reap what thine hath sewn," on the other. He also wore the No. 7 and the special cleats at the NFL Combine.

Bech has a tattoo that reads "7 to Heaven" on his left collarbone and his brother's birth date and date of death inked over his heart. He continues to draw inspiration from Tiger and told ESPN that he will always be with him 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," he said. "I have a superpower now. I have another presence about me that just can't lose."  

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Where did Jack Bech play college football?

Jack Bech played college football at LSU and TCU.

Bech began his career with the Tigers in 2021 after being recruited by Ed Orgeron out of St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette, Louisiana. In his freshman season, he had 43 receptions for 489 yards and three touchdowns and was named a freshman All-American.

Bech transferred to TCU after his sophomore season. He battled an ankle injury for most of his first year in Fort Worth and had career lows in receptions, yard and touchdowns. Bech had a breakout season as a senior, helping the Horned Frogs get to the New Mexico Bowl, which they won 34-3 over Louisiana.

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Colin Capece

Colin Capece is an editorial intern for The Sporting News. He previously wrote The Dallas Morning News, USA Today and The Arizona Republic. Colin earned his master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and loves to talk baseball and basketball.