In a packed Mountain America Stadium on October 18, an ASU roster that included four 2026 draftees handed Texas Tech, the team that would win the Big 12 championship three months later, its only regular season loss.
Before fans crowded onto the field to celebrate the victory, two of the top performers during the game were Jordyn Tyson and Max Iheanachor, names that NFL fans have now familiarized themselves with.
Tyson, who recorded 105 yards and one touchdown alongside a crucial fourth-down conversion late in the game, was selected eighth overall by the New Orleans Saints — the highest an ASU player has gone since 1976.
Iheanachor became ASU's second first-round pick of the draft, for the first time in 25 years, when the Steelers took him 21st overall. He performed well against the Texas Tech second overall pick, David Bailey, neither of whose two sacks were against the now-Steeler.
When asked about his performance against Bailey at his opening NFL press conference, Iheanachor was pleased with how the game went.
"We did beat him," Iheanachor said on the Steelers' YouTube channel. "We were the only loss they had until the playoffs. He was a great matchup. I also trained with him this offseason."
Despite starting 31 games in college, Iheanachor was not a lifelong football player. Spending just about a half-decade with the sport, a lot of the conversations surrounding him have been about his growth and potential in football.
He then became the sixth offensive tackle off the board, the highest an ASU offensive lineman has been taken since 2002.
Having their tackle of the future, the Steelers' general manager Omar Khan was pleased with the selection.
"He's so impressive," Khan said on the team's YouTube channel. "There's a lot to like there and a lot of growth to come. I'm excited for him being a Pittsburgh Steeler for years and years to come."
Before Iheanachor heard his name called in the early 20's, it was Tyson walking onto the stage at pick eight. His 2,282 yards and 22 touchdowns in college earned him the position as the second receiver off the board.
The selection of Tyson shows the belief the Saints' front office has in him. With highly touted prospects like Caleb Downs, Rueben Bain Jr. and Makai Lemon still available after he was drafted, Tyson's selection before them showcases ASU's ability to produce talent.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis recognizes the selection is high praise for Tyson and stands by his choice.
"There was some really good options for us, but we just felt, given where we're at and the talent level, this was the guy for us," Loomis said on the Saints' YouTube channel. "We're really excited to get him. Pre-draft, when you consider where other guys are likely to go, we felt really good about Jordyn Tyson being our pick."
The head coach credited with Tyson and Iheanachor's development is Kenny Dillingham. With Keyshaun Elliott and Keith Abney II being selected in the fifth round, Dillingham has now produced five NFL draftees while in his current position.
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The four players drafted from ASU made the school tied for second in the Big 12, and it was one of nine schools in the country to have multiple first-round selections.
Arriving in the Valley alongside his head coach, Tyson experienced the first three years of the Dillingham era. Now an NFL player, Tyson thinks his college coach's mindset has paid off.
"It's a place you can be successful," Tyson said on the Saints' YouTube channel. "You have the right people in the building in terms of Hines Ward in the receiver room, and then Kenny Dillingham always being so real and honest with his players. They have a great formula going over there, and it's going to continue to push other NFL players out as well."
With a generation of future Sun Devils set in Tempe with Omarion Miller and Reed Harris in position to be the successors to Jordyn Tyson, the now-Saint looks to inspire future generations.
Being the first Sun Devil receiver to be selected in the first round since Brandon Aiyuk, Tyson wants to usher in a new era of wideouts in Tempe.
An NFL contract now in front of him, he gave advice to future generations of receivers.
"Just be who you say you want to be," Tyson said. "If you want to be a great player, if you want to go to the NFL, it takes a lot of work ethic, takes a lot of sacrifice. Just be who you say you want to be and your actions should line accordingly."
Edited by Niall Rosenberg, Senna James and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at aswift10@asu.edu and follow @alexswiftsports on X.
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