'Guys with Ties:' Former Buckeye teaching life skills to young boys

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Look good, feel good, do good; that is the message former Ohio State wide receiver Devin Jordan instills in young boys through the “Guys with Ties” program.

“Coach Tressel really preached about giving back to the community, so I tried to find a way to bridge the gap between our current players and our students in the community,” said Jordan.

“When these players that are in college see these young kids that look like them and come from places like them, it reminds you where you’ve been and how far you’ve got.”

Jordan currently serves as a program assistant at Ohio State, working with the wide receivers. He launched the program back in 2016 as a part of his non-profit, Beyond the Game.

The program teaches young boys skills to set them up for success in life, such as how to tie a tie, give a proper handshake, respect elders and women, and much more.

"It’s something we even teach our guys here in college how to prepare for job interviews, internships, so I think it’s a cool thing to learn at an early age and the best we can do for those boys and hopefully they carry it with them for a lifetime," said Jordan.

After eight monthly lessons, kids identified as “leaders” within the program are welcomed to an Ohio State practice to test their skills.

Twenty third graders dressed in suits and ties visited the Woody Wednesday morning to watch the Buckeyes' tenth practice of spring. This time, the kids brought encouraging signs and got to meet their favorite players. The guys in ties also had the opportunity to introduce themselves to head coach Ryan Day and deliver handwritten thank you notes.

“I do think it is essential to give these boys the foundational skills to be pillars in the community and true leaders,” said mentor and elementary school teacher Lewis Drafton.

Over the years, the program has served over 4,000 boys in more than 35 schools. It has since grown and is currently serving 2,500 boys in seven different states. Jordan is determined to reach more young lives.

"Alumni are getting involved as guest speakers. It's been great and something I didn’t expect happening a long time ago when we started the program. It's been great. I'm proud to see it grow and hopefully it keeps growing in the future," said Jordan.

If you would like to get involved, click here.