Nebraska Defensive Lineman Elijah Jeudy Balancing Football, Fatherhood in 2025

The Husker senior is preparing to disrupt Big Ten offenses this fall while taking everything "step-by-step" as a father.

Elijah Jeudy (16) celebrates an incomplete pass from Wisconsin quarterback, Braedyn Locke. | Amarillo Mullen

Being a college athlete is a full-time job. Add in the responsibilities of being a parent, and you've got more than a couple of full plates.

That's what Nebraska football defensive lineman Elijah Jeudy is learning to balance. The Husker senior became a father in July of 2023.

"(Balancing everything) is something I had to adapt to," Jeudy said Tuesday at the Hawks Championship Center as the Huskers are into week two of spring practices. "It took a little minute but I think we got a great routine now."

Nebraska defensive lineman Elijah Jeudy's son Kodah at the football facility. | @kodahshakai on Instagram

That routine includes watching film with his son Kodah.

"That way I'm still doing what I gotta do and spending quality time with my family as well," Jeudy said. "He's a handful, but I love him. That's my guy."

Jeudy's family includes his fiancé, who has been a vital part of his motivation to keep plugging along after transferring from Texas A&M and being in a loaded defensive line room in Lincoln.

"There was times where I wanted to give up; I wanted to quit," Jeudy said. "My fiancé told me I better not do it because, 'you're this far so why just give up?'"

The mayhem ain’t over pic.twitter.com/KMSkFKHZhP
— Elijah Jeudy1️⃣6️⃣ (@ElijahJeudy) January 11, 2025

As far as on the field, Jeudy says being a father has helped him to be more patient.

"When I first got here, I didn't have patience," Jeudy said. "I wasn't patient at all. I was eager to do stuff. Having Kodah taught me to slow things down and take everything step-by-step because it can be gone in an instant."

In his first year in Lincoln, Jeudy was down the depth chart but appeared in 11 games, making eight tackles and blocking a field goal against Purdue.

This past fall, Jeudy played behind Nash Hutmacher, seeing action in all 13 games. He totaled 13 tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss.

You can watch Jeudy's full media appearance below.

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