Former TCU wide receiver Jack Bech reflects on NFL Draft, mourning his brother Tiger Bech
Former TCU wide receiver Jack Bech has experienced a whirlwind of emotions since he played his last game as a Horned Frog on Nov. 30, 2024.
After that game, Bech accomplished his dream of being drafted to the NFL when he was selected in the second round in April by the Las Vegas Raiders. Bech’s draft stock skyrocketed after he followed up a 1,000-yard season at TCU by being named the MVP of the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
When he got the call from the Raiders that he was their pick, Bech was overcome with emotion.
“My mind was racing, my heart was racing,” Bech said recently. “It was definitely a surreal moment, a moment I’ve played back everyday since the draft. I’m just so thankful God put me in a position to play the game I love for living.”
But before he lived out his dream, he lost the person that helped inspire it, his older brother Tiger Bech. Tiger was killed in the terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve.
Brotherly bond
Tiger was a mentor, an inspiration and a best friend to Bech. Losing him this early in his life wasn’t something he ever expected to deal with.
“No matter what, some days are super hard, some days are easier,” Bech said. “I still find myself crying sometimes, staying up late thinking about the whole situation. It’s going to be feelings I have for the rest of my life, I lost my best friend and my biggest fan.”
The grieving process has had its expected ups and downs as Bech has been able to tell the story of his brother on multiple national outlets, including ESPN.
“Throughout this whole process it’s been good to let everybody know (who Tiger was) with this platform God has given me,” Bech said. “Not only do I get to bring people closer to God and the gospel, I also get to live on with my brother’s legacy. I get to tell everybody about my brother and his story. The way he lived life, the way he did different things.
“It’s been not only good for me, but also good for my family to be able to let the whole world know my brother’s name, Tiger Bech.”
Bech said his favorite moment from draft night was the group hug he and his family shared in the immediate aftermath of the Raiders’ phone call.
For a family that endured so much at the start of the year, it was a rare moment of bliss that the family needed.
“We had a group hug, it was me, my mom, my dad, my two sisters and then I just know my brother was right there in the middle of us,” Bech said. “We just hugged and we all said, ‘We did it! We’re here.’ That will definitely be a moment I never forget. But what I told them after was, our dreams came true and we made it, but I don’t want to just get to the NFL, I want to excel there.
“I want to separate myself from the pack, that’s where my mind is focused right now.”
Bech’s ambition to be great in the NFL has only been emboldened by the passing of Tiger. Bech said his brother has given him ‘strength and power’ and only deepened his work ethic, which was already high.
Now, he’s a Raider
The work ethic and desire to be great are crucial elements to a successful NFL career, but so is your situation. Bech will walk into a good situation with the Raiders.
Despite the franchise’s lack of recent success, it’s still one of the most iconic franchises in the NFL and now Las Vegas is led by Super Bowl and national champion head coach Pete Carroll.
“He’s one of the goats,” Bech said. “He’s one of the best coaches to ever coach the game of football, so to be able to play under him is one of the things I’m most excited about. I literally get a Hall of Fame coach in my first year in the NFL. I’ll be able to learn so much from him and not only that, I’ve spoken to players and they all love him.”
Carroll has a reputation of being a players’ coach going back to his time at USC. Not only will Bech have one of the NFL’s best coaches teaching him the game, he’ll also have an established quarterback in Geno Smith.
Smith has gone from being a backup to one to arguably a top-15 quarterback due to his accuracy in the pocket. Playing with Smith is another thing Bech is looking forward to.
“He’s one of the most accurate pass throwers in the league,” Bech said. “It’s going to be fun. It’s always nice to know whenever you know you have a quarterback that trusts you, but you can trust him to put the ball in the right place. I’m super excited to go up there and just meet him and pick his brain.”
As he gets ready to turn the page to the next chapter of his career, Bech wanted to take a moment to reflect on the community he built at TCU.
He experienced the best season of his football career and also deepened his Christian faith, which would be essential during his grieving process. Transferring to TCU from LSU was truly a life-changing decision for Bech.
“Going to LSU told me I could do it, but coming to TCU gave me that real opportunity and a real chance to make that come true,” Bech said. “TCU means so much to me on so many different levels. It truly is one big family. Everybody wants the best for you, that all starts with Coach (Sonny) Dykes. Coming to TCU was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my whole life.”
Bech is already in Las Vegas, participating in the Raiders’ rookie mini-camp that began on Friday. Bech could be the missing piece in a Las Vegas offense that features Brock Bowers, 1,000-yard receiver Jakobi Meyers and fellow rookie Ashton Jeanty, who was picked in the first round by the Raiders.
As for what type of player Raider Nation can expect from Bech, the former Horned Frog is bringing the same mentality that made him one of the best receivers in the country last year.
“Smart, physical, play fast with relentless effort,” Bech said. “I’m never going to give up no matter what, I’m going to fight until the end. I’m gonna live and die for the Raiders.”
This story was originally published May 9, 2025 at 8:48 AM.
