Before being a prolific punt unit at BYU, Ryan Lekow was a missionary in England.
The former Cougar specialist reflected on his ministry experience with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a media interview at this week's NFL Combine. Lehkow hopes to be drafted by one of the league's 32 teams in April.
Lekow was asked about his two years serving in a London church and how it influenced his academic career.The Eastern Washington native responded that fulfilling his mission served him “100 percent,” according to an X post from him. BYU football.
“For two years of your life, you're very organized on a schedule, but once you graduate from high school, that doesn't really happen,” Lekow said. “High school is a period where you just do whatever you want, so in the transition from high school to college,[the mission]just instilled a good work ethic, definitely. It's about planning and prioritizing everything. But in college football, especially now that you're working to get to the next level, that's very important.”
After joining BYU in August 2016, Lehkow was assigned to England after graduating from high school in 2017, completing his assignment in 2019 and joining the Cougars before the 2020 season.
In his four years at BYU, Lehkow punted 178 times for 8,341 yards, third all-time in program history. He holds the school record for longest punt with an 83-yard punt against Arizona State in 2021.
Lekow averaged 48.3 yards on 68 punts and was named second-team All-Big 12 in 2023. His 6-foot-4, 235-pound special teams weapon ranks second all-time among all FBS punters, with his career punting average of 47.4 yards.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. currently ranks Rehkow as the third-best punter in the 2024 NFL Draft class.
