Christian McCaffrey’s younger brother, Luke, was waiting to hear his name called in the draft. The McCaffrey family, including Christian’s fiancee Olivia Culpo and her sisters, gathered at their Colorado home for a draft party. The anticipation was high, especially for Christian, a star running back for the San Francisco 49ers.
Luke, a wide receiver from Rice University, was selected by the Washington Commanders at the end of the 3rd round.
And, Olivia Culpo captured the exact moment Luke learned his fate on her Instagram. The clip showed a mix of emotions: relief, excitement, and maybe even disbelief for Luke. According to the Daily Mail, Culpo’s sister, Aurora, filmed Christian’s reaction in the background where Christian became emotional, possibly fighting back tears.
Well, the McCaffrey brothers becoming NFL teammates would be a remarkable story.
Luke McCaffrey’s Football Journey: Overview
Luke McCaffrey started his college career as a quarterback, playing at Nebraska and then Louisville before transferring to Rice.
At Rice, he proposed a switch to wide receiver to Coach Mike Bloomgren. This decision proved to be a turning point. Over the next two seasons, McCaffrey thrived at the receiver position. In his second year as a receiver (2023), McCaffrey became a standout player.
He led the American Athletic Conference (AAC) in touchdown receptions (12) and put up impressive stats with 68 receptions and 963 receiving yards.
This performance earned him consensus All-AAC honors and a repeat win of Rice’s prestigious George Martin Award (Most Valuable Player). The Washington Commanders saw his potential and selected him with the 100th overall pick, which was the final pick in the 3rd round of the 2024 NFL Draft. This selection made McCaffrey the highest-drafted Rice Owl since Phillip Gaines in 2014.
