Philly-area teen scheduled to appear on Saturday’s NFL draft coverage
Due to his work with the NFL's Fuel Up to Play 60 program, Samarth Mannikeri will appear during the NFL draft to talk about the program.
Samarth Mannikeri, like many die-hard Eagles fans, has been hunkered down this weekend to watch the three-day NFL draft.
What will separate Samarth from other fans: He will have a role in the broadcast. The 13-year-old eighth-grader at Charles Boehm Middle School in Yardley recorded a video message that is scheduled to air Saturday, the final day of the draft, before one of the Eagles’ picks. The draft is broadcast globally on ESPN, ABC, the NFL Network, and ESPN Deportes.
“It was really cool,” Samarth said of the experience. “I told all my friends and their parents, and it is really exciting."
Samarth got the call to participate because of his work with the NFL’s Fuel Up to Play 60 program, which encourages kids to exercise for an hour a day and practice healthy eating habits. He’s been involved with Fuel Up to Play 60 for five years, including the last two as the program president for his school.
Recently, he created a Google Classroom to share the program’s lessons online during the coronavirus pandemic. Samarth has used the platform to give tips to fellow students about ways to stay healthy during this time, including offering some of his own recipes.
“We congratulate Samarth on this well-deserved opportunity and would also like to thank him for being so proactive in keeping the Pennsbury School District healthy and fit at home,” said Julie Hirshey, the Eagles’ director of community relations. “Samarth is a wonderful ambassador of the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. We are proud to have him represent the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend during the 2020 NFL draft.”
In his 24-second video spot, Samarth talks about the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. (Better watch out for your jobs, TV announcers: He delivers his message with passion and looks extremely comfortable on camera.)
This isn’t the first time Samarth’s work with Fuel Up to Play 60 has gotten him close to real NFL action. He was chosen to attend an Eagles game last year, a 17-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 22. It was his first time seeing the team play in person.
“That was a lifetime experience,” he said.
And now he will enjoy another.