With more and more MoT NCAA Football players coming into or coming close-to playing in the NFL we wanted to reach out and see who has a chance in 2019. Meet Nebraska’s Jordan Ober, the long-snapper with game. Ober is a dedicated student athlete who takes his Judaism seriously. We got to speak with the NFL hopeful, who also takes his game seriously.

1) Tell TGR about yourself.
I am from Las Vegas. I grew up playing baseball but made the switch to football in high school at Bishop Gorman. I was raised Jewish, so going to a Catholic school tested my faith. I’m happy to say that it made me more proud of my religion. 

2) What led you to Nebraska Football?
I honestly didn’t pay attention to the Midwest at all. Being from the West, all we watched was Pac 12 football. I remember when Bruce Reed, my special teams coach who recruited me, messaged me while he was at Oregon State. When he made the move over to Nebraska, he gave me a call and the rest is history. There was actually a guy that he offered my spot before me but he ended up committing to a different school and I was next in line so that was amazing.

3) What is the most difficult part about playing long snapper?
The most difficult part about being a long snapper is being perfect. There is no other way, you have to be perfect 100% of the time and that pressure can get to some people. Another thing that can be difficult, even though it wasn’t difficult for me, is the fact that you are anonymous and you don’t get all of the attention that an ordinary Division I athlete would.

4) You made headlines because you faced the dreaded Yom Kippur dilemma. What was going through your mind and how did you come to ultimately decide what to do?
My faith is very important to me and I know that I faced backlash with my decision. I knew I wanted to participate in fasting during the holidays, but I am a team guy so I could not let my team down. I decided that I could combine it and fast and still be a good teammate.

5) What role does Judaism play in your life?
My faith means everything to me. It shapes who I am. Before every snap, I say the Shema. 

6) Are you going to give the NFL a shot? If not, what is next?
My ultimate goal is to play football at the next level and I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen. The journey of a specialist into the NFL can be a long and difficult journey and I’m in it for the long-haul.