The Texas Longhorns set a program record with 11 players drafted into the NFL in the NFL Draft this past week in Detroit, Michigan.
This comes after head coach Steve Sarkisian’s third year at the school. In his first season in Austin, Sarkisian’s team went 5-7 and had zero players drafted. In his second, the team went 8-5 and had five players drafted with running back Bijan Robinson going in the first round. Then came the big splash with 11 this year.
Not that the Longhorns need any more help in recruiting, but this will give them yet another boost. This past season, the Longhorns finished sixth according to On3 with one five star, 16 four stars and five three stars. This comes on the heels of a college football semifinal playoff appearance that has Austin and the rest of college football buzzing about the Longhorns.
In a way, the NFL Draft is a culmination of the previous college football season and some see it as putting a stamp on it as to level of success, or lack thereof. And I think it is without question that for the Longhorns, this is a stamp of success.
Highlighting the 2024 draftees for the Longhorns were wide receivers Xavier Worthy who went in the first round to the Kansas City Chiefs, and Adonai Mitchell who went in the second round to the Indianapolis Colts. Defensive tackle Byron Murphy also went 16th overall to the Seattle Seahawks.
Not only did Sarkisian better his 2023 draft class with 11 instead of five draftees, but he double his first round picks in one season.
With Worthy about to be paired with the best quarterback in the NFL in Patrick Mahomes, this could skyrocket recruiting even more for the Longhorns as Sarkisian has something to boast about to potential wide receiver recruits and other positions.
These accolades are scary for the rest of the SEC with Sarkisian only going into his fourth season in Austin.
Other Longhorns of note that were drafted with defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, running back Jonathan Brooks