“Julian’s a great receiver, but I think he brings a certain toughness and mentality to that receiver room.” That’s how Drew Allar always hyped his WR, Julian Fleming. But even in his wildest dreams, the Penn State quarterback wouldn’t have imagined needing to send prayers to his former teammate.

Fleming was already dealing with the sting of going undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. Yet, those setbacks now seem minor compared to the devastating blow in his personal life. Last week, Fleming and his girlfriend, Alyssa Boyd, were in an ATV crash. The tragic incident happened on Friday, May 23, in Bradford County, when they reportedly collided with a deer. Fleming, who was driving, sustained injuries. Sadly, his girlfriend, Boyd, did not survive, passing away at 23. This news has shaken the college football and NFL world.

The police report stated, “The operator of the ATV sustained serious injuries and was transported to Guthrie Troy Community Hospital. The passenger sustained extensive injuries from the crash and was pronounced deceased at the scene. A recently deceased deer was located on scene consistent with damage observed on the ATV.”

On June 2, Fleming shared an emotional tribute to his late girlfriend on Instagram. The post was a carousel of happy moments with Boyd—from Boyd cheering for Penn State on their big day to their romantic date nights and chilling together on the beach. Fleming captioned it, “Not a day will go by without you on my mind🖤 love you forever 💍.” Re-sharing the post on his IG story, Allar simply dropped “🙏🏻🙏🏻 🙏🏻” emojis.

After all, Drew Allar shared many great moments with Julian Fleming, like last season’s highlight play. With just 23 seconds left in the first half against Washington, Allar threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Fleming on third and goal, giving the Nittany Lions a 28-0 lead. Penn State went on to win that game 35-6.

While Julian Fleming was a top high school wide receiver recruit at Southern Columbia High, his girlfriend, Alyssa Boyd, was pursuing her own dreams. According to her obituary, she was studying psychology at the University of Alabama and was set to graduate this December.

Fleming and Boyd’s love story, like other college football romances, made fans believe in love again. While the couple never shared a detailed public timeline of their relationship, local reports and social media suggest they were high school classmates. Both Fleming and Boyd graduated from Southern Columbia High School. Even after enrolling in different colleges and later following different career paths, they continued to prioritize their friendship.

They reportedly started dating after reconnecting in Pennsylvania sometime in early 2024, when Fleming transferred to Penn State. Their friends saw their love as genuine and down-to-earth. The end of their seemingly perfect romance is hard for many to accept.

NFL Rookie’s emotional message to Julian Fleming

The tragic accident happened when Fleming was driving a Yamaha quad bike with Boyd on a rural Pennsylvania road, and they collided with a deer that suddenly appeared. CBS reported that neither Fleming nor Boyd was wearing a helmet. This devastating news has not only impacted college football stars but has also deeply saddened an NFL star. Sam Block, NFL Content Associate at ESPN, shared, “No human being ever deserves to go through what Julian Fleming is going through right now. This is a young man who is full of class… has a heart of gold… is completely unselfish… and truly genuine. Keep Julian Fleming in your thoughts and prayers. He needs us right now. ❤️” Meanwhile, a former teammate of Fleming also joined the outpouring of support.

New York Giants rookie and former Penn State star Abdul Carter reacted with sadness on X. Carter wrote, “stay strong fam💔💔🙏🏾🙏🏾 Julian Fleming 🦾”

While Julian Fleming’s personal life faced a huge setback, his professional life has also stalled. He went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft and was expected to sign with the Green Bay Packers before the rookie minicamp. However, the universe had other plans. Fleming failed his physical due to multiple injuries and was not signed. As life hits pause, may Fleming find the strength to press play on his recovery.