There have been brothers who have both been drafted in the NFL in the first round.
There have been brothers who have both been drafted in the NBA in the first round, including Gilbert Perry’s very own Jalen and Cody Williams.
But brothers as first-round picks in the NFL and NBA? Not so common. There are other cross-sport comparisons, like with the McGwire brothers in the 1980s and 1990s when Mark was selected by the Oakland A’s and Dan was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks, but that was the NFL and MLB.
Arizona State redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jordyn Tyson — the team’s No. 1 target through the first five games of the season — is hoping to make history with his brother, Jaylon, who was the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Seeing his brother get selected lit a fire under Tyson.
“It motivated more than ever because we really could be the first brothers to get drafted,” Tyson said. “That’d be so crazy. He’s a first-round pick in the NBA Draft and I have the potential to be a draft pick in the NFL I feel like. That’s gonna be amazing.”
But that dream almost never got off to a start for Tyson.
The third-year wide receiver, who currently leads the team with 20 receptions for 285 yards and three touchdowns, had to work his way through injuries after he tore his ACL and MCL as a freshman at Colorado in 2022. Tyson also hurt his PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) in the process. It was a devastating injury, one that required months and months of physical rehab.
Watching from the side was Tyson’s teammate, Melquan Stovall, who also came in as a transfer. Stovall was at Colorado State prior to joining ASU, so he had already become familiar with Tyson’s name while they played within the same state.
While Tyson worked his way back, Stovall observed as his teammate pushed through.
“It was amazing to see his process and growth over the time,” Stovall said. “He had ups and downs. He had days when you could definitely tell that it was getting to him. But he fought through it every day and that’s what I’m most proud of him about. When adversity hits him, he battles through it.”
Tyson had his first big game of the season when the Texas native returned to his home state and recorded six receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown in a 31-28 comeback win over Texas State in week 3. This past week, after a rough start to the game, Tyson rebounded by hauling in two touchdowns in the fourth quarter , including the game-winner, as ASU pulled out the dramatic 35-31 win against Kansas to move to 4-1 on the season.
Stovall, and his teammates, had a feeling this was coming.
“We knew it was only a matter of time before he got back and when we got him back, we were gonna be special,” he said.
Tyson credits his brother, Jaylon, and father, John, who played college football at Florida A&M, as driving factors in getting him to this point. Jordyn would watch as Jaylon did three workouts a day starting at age 15.
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With Jaylon and Jordyn being so close in age, their relationship is not the average older and little brother dynamic. They’re not wombmates but act like so.
“We’re 20 months apart, so we did everything together,” Tyson said. “He was driving me to school when he was 15 and I was 14 every day. Did everything with him. He would go get some food and I would go get some food. That’s my best friend, still is my best friend.”
“I ain’t gonna lie, my brother is the only reason why I’m here at ASU. I was lazy, no work ethic, sitting on the couch playing video games all day. Then just seeing him working, working, working. Then he started getting on me about not working. Like, ‘What you gonna do? Sit here and play your game all day?’ He’s the only reason why I’m here. He instilled every bit of work ethic that I got in my life.”
Also helping instill that work ethic into Tyson is wide receivers coach Hines Ward, who knows a little bit about what it takes to get to the next level. Ward was a two-time Super Bowl champion who made four Pro Bowls during his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ward was hired in April and has quickly stepped into his new role . He’s trying to pass what he has learned to his receiver room.
“Don’t rush the process,” Ward said. “Everything’s a process. I didn’t know it overnight. Took me a while to finally get it. But for me, to now give these kids the blueprint of how I did it. You don’t play 14 years in the league without having a great work ethic. Put in year in, year out, day in, day out of going out and working on your craft and truly mastering what you need to do.”
It’s early on in the process with the two only having spent about six months with each other, but Ward has seen what an NFL wide receiver looks like. And he’s encouraged by Tyson and where he’s at.
“Explosive playmaker. Phenomenal hands, can catch acrobatic, go up and high point the ball,” Ward said. “The kid wants to get better. Watching him block, even when he’s not getting the ball, staying focused and not getting discouraged. I’m always encouraging him, ‘You never know when it’s your time.’ Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready when your number is called. He’s really bought into what I’m selling.”
“With Jordyn, I got some years with him. For me, it’s a great matchup. I’ll be here for a while, he’ll be here for a while, so instilling the foundation early. I’m excited to see where this kid is going to be in another two to three years from now. We haven’t scratched the surface of how good he can really be as an individual and as a football player.”
Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, ASU and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at logan.stanley@gannett.com or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LSscribe .
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Hines Ward on ASU WR Jordyn Tyson: 'We haven’t scratched the surface'
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