Jabob McAdams Ehlinger, a promising young linebacker for the Texas Longhorns, was found dead at his home in the West Campus neighborhood in Austin, Texas, on the 1200 block on W 22nd Street. The cause of death remains unknown. He was only 20 years old.
He is survived by his mother Jena, his younger sister Morgen, and his older brother Sam, who started as quarterback for the Longhorns in each of the past four seasons and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Jake is also preceded in death by his father Ross, whose own life was tragically cut short in a drowning accident in San Francisco, California.
Jake was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity during his time on the Forty Acres and was a finance major at the McCombs School of Business. Like his brother Sam and his father Ross, he was a member of the Texas Silver Spurs service organization. According to his obituary, he was a selfless person who would treat anyone around him as the most important person of the moment, and his cheerful, uplifting spirit will surely be missed by those who knew him closest.
“Jake Ehlinger’s legacy will live on forever in Westlake Football. His pure toughness and willingness to do anything for his team is unmatched in the years that we’ve been together at Westlake,” Westlake High School head football coach Todd Dodge said in a statement. Dodge coached both Sam and Jake at the Varsity High School level and was himself a former starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. Unlike Sam, who was offered a scholarship to play football for the Horns, Jake was not offered a scholarship but still chose to play for his childhood program, the Texas Longhorns, and continued the family legacy of attending the University of Texas at Austin.
“Words cannot express the depth of our sadness and the huge void we are feeling, but above all else, our hearts pour out to (brother) Sam, (mother) Jena, (sister) Morgen and the entire Ehlinger family. Being a Longhorn meant everything to him, and he truly embodied all that it means to be one. In the short time we were able to get to know him, he always was a joy to be around and gave everything he had in workouts, meetings, practice and in life,” Texas Longhorns head football coach Steve Sarkisian said in a statement.
“Our hearts are truly broken, and we are just devastated today to learn of the passing of our Longhorn family member Jake Ehlinger. Jake was an amazing young man from an extraordinary family with such a bright future ahead of him. It’s just such a tragedy that we are all struggling with. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones and friends, especially the Ehlinger family and our entire football program,” Texas Longhorns Vice-President/Director of Athletics Chris Del Conte said in a statement.
Our own thoughts and prayers here at The Texas Horn are with Jake’s family, friends, the Texas Longhorns football team, and Longhorn Nation everywhere as we mourn together the tragic loss of not only a fierce competitor on the gridiron, but a true friend to those who knew him best. The Ehlinger family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes c/o Steve Vittorini here. Funeral services will take place at Riverbend Church Home for Hope, 4124 N. Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX, 78746, at 12:00 PM CST on Wednesday, May 12.
Rest easy Jake, and Hook’em Forever.
Requiem aeternam dona ei Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.
(Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.)
