A friendship that started on a high school football field in Mesa made it all the way to the NFL, but only one of them got to see it happen. Jeremiah Aviles and Ja’Kobi Lane became close friends while playing together at Red Mountain High School, bonding over football, video games and everyday life. In May 2023, just weeks before graduating, 18-year-old Jeremiah lost his life after a firearm being handled at a teammate’s Mesa home went off and struck him. The teen charged with manslaughter in his death was later found not guilty. Ja’Kobi kept moving forward with Jeremiah’s memory beside him. He went from Red Mountain to USC, finishing his college career with 1,363 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns before the Baltimore Ravens selected him 80th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. And even after making it to the NFL, he never stopped honoring his friend. Days before his debut, Ja’Kobi shared an old photo of the two together, while his Instagram bio still read “LONG LIVE JEREMIAH.” Th...