Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian was hired in 2021 to bring the University of Texas back to its winning ways on the field while developing players into NFL talent. In just three seasons in Austin, it is hard to argue with his success. Sarkisian guided the Longhorns to their first ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. As far as player development is concerned, that seems to be happening on the 40 Acres as well. Last week’s NFL Draft saw eleven Longhorns drafted in the first six rounds, which is the most ever for Texas in the modern draft era.
Two Longhorns were selected in the first-round, DT Byron Murphy and WR Xavier Worthy, making Texas one of six college programs with multiple first-round selections. This marked the first time Texas had multiple first-round picks since 2007 (defensive backs Michael Griffin and Aaron Ross).
For the second consecutive year Texas had the first running back taken in the draft. In 2023 Bijan Robinson was selected by the Atlanta Falcons, and this year Jonathan Brooks was drafted by the Carolina Panthers.
Sarkisian shared his thoughts on what it means that the Longhorns had eleven players selected in this year’s NFL Draft.
“What an incredible three days it was following our guys and a historic NFL Draft for our program. I couldn’t be more excited for this group and their opportunity as they head into the NFL. The fact that there are 11 NFL draft picks we’re talking about who all had a significant impact on our team speaks volumes for where we are as a program. When we came here, as much as we committed to developing these guys as players, we also were focused on developing them as men and wanted to create a culture that can last a long, long time. One thing I always reference about this group, they didn’t just buy into our culture, they took this culture and elevated it. These guys were incredible leaders, they were great players, they worked extremely hard, and they bought into the program. And one of the really cool parts is so many of them are great examples of patience and perseverance. I think there’s a lot of value in perseverance, and as a coaching staff, we really try to instill that in our players. These guys had faith in the process, earned everything they got and are reaping the benefits. It’s a group that put their trust into their coaches, worked extremely hard, and in the end, we’re talking about a bunch of guys who we relied on at the most critical moments in games. They played their best when their best was needed, and that’s something I’ll forever be grateful for.”
Texas Longhorns Selected in 2024 NFL Draft
First Round (2)
DT: Byron Murphy II (1st Round/16th Pick/Seattle Seahawks)
WR: Xavier Worthy (1st Round/28th Pick/Kansas City Chiefs)
Second Round (3)
DT: T’Vondre Sweat (2nd Round/38th Pick/Tennessee Titans)
RB: Jonathon Brooks (2nd Round/46th Pick/Carolina Panthers)
WR Adonai Mitchell (2nd Round/52nd Pick/Indianapolis Colts)
Fourth Round (1)
TE: Ja’Tavion Sanders (4th Round/101st Pick/Carolina Panthers)
Fifth Round (3)
OL: Christian Jones (5th Round/162nd Pick/Arizona Cardinals)
RB Keilan Robinson (5th Round/167th Pick/Jacksonville Jaguars)
LB: Jaylan Ford (5th Round/175th Pick/New Orleans Saints)
Sixth Round (2)
DB: Ryan Watts (6th Round/195th Pick/Pittsburgh Steelers)
WR: Jordan Whittington (6th Round/213th Pick/Los Angeles Rams)
