NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah finds peace in prayer as NFL draft approaches

After months of mock drafts, endless speculation and every imaginable what-if scenario, the 2022 NFL Draft is here at last.

The headline event of the NFL’s offseason will begin with Round 1 on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET from Las Vegas. Rounds 2 and 3 are set for Friday at 7 p.m. ET and Rounds 4-7 will happen on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET.

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The three-day football extravaganza will be the culmination of hundreds of hours of work for analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who will be part of NFL Network’s draft coverage. It’ll be Jeremiah’s 10th draft with the network.

In between film study sessions and mock-draft compilations, Jeremiah found the time to appear as a guest on a recent episode of the Sports Spectrum Podcast. When asked how many players he scouts for each draft, Jeremiah said 400.

“There’s 250+ guys that get picked every year,” he said. “I sleep well at night knowing I’ve got the 400.”

Draft-day surprises are few and far between for the former Appalachian State quarterback, who learned early how to prepare well for the NFL draft from media icon and fellow Christ-follower Chris Mortensen. But as Jeremiah explained on the podcast, he’s also learned how to use technology to spend time with God while traveling during the busiest times of the year.

“You notice it when you’re [neglecting your spiritual walk],” Jeremiah said, “when your prayer life is not where it needs to be, when you’re not in the Word as much as you need to be, it’s noticeable.”

Jeremiah finds that the most difficult times are when he works on Sundays in the fall (as a radio commentator for the Los Angeles Chargers) and his regular routines are interrupted. But the advance of technology has made it possible to listen to live sermons while commuting or to watch church services while on the road.

Although Jeremiah’s name is known for his work as an NFL analyst, his last name is recognizable for another reason: He’s the son of well-known pastor and author David Jeremiah. As such, faith has been a part of Daniel’s life since he was a child.

For years, he’s sensed God’s blessings by the various evangelistic conversations and relationships he’s developed.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have those conversations over so many years, and those are the fun ones. That’s what you’re grateful for because you go, ‘I don’t know if people are paying attention.’ Or, ‘Is the way I try to live my life is a turn-off?’ And then God opens those doors for you, so that’s been pretty cool.”

As one of the crowning events in Jeremiah’s career each year, the NFL draft, draws near and the pressure builds to a fever pitch, Jeremiah knows he can rest in the steadfast love that God reveals every day.

“Be anxious for nothing,” Jeremiah said, quoting the Bible verse Philippians 4:6, when asked what the Lord is teaching him right now. “That’s the whole thing. The connection between being anxious and anxiety and prayer … that’s the answer. That is the answer.”

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