Texas has not had a player drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2015. Although several Longhorns have been selected in middle rounds and have had successful professional careers, is it still worrisome that top level talent has not been produced?
Not quite. Former Longhorns offensive tackle Connor Williams stepped right in as a starter for the Dallas Cowboys, although injuries have somewhat put a pause on his career. Punter Michael Dickson continues to excel with the Seattle Seahawks. Even after being drafted in the sixth round, defensive back Quandre Diggs has clearly made a name for himself throughout his professional career. The list goes on.
However, player development could be a cause of concern within the Texas program considering they bring in a top recruiting class each year that hasn’t necessarily correlated over to the NFL Draft. With a new coaching staff in place in 2020, expectations will be high in the coming years.
Safety Brandon Jones and wide receivers Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson remain the Longhorns top draft eligible prospects heading into the 2020 NFL Draft. Mock drafts are merely a projection on where each player is likely to be selected, but let’s take a look at where these three athletes sit currently.
In Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller’s mock draft, Brandon Jones and Devin Duvernay are expected to be selected in the third round. Jones lands No. 78 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles and Duvernay No. 94 overall to the Oakland Raiders. Although Collin Johnson is not listed in the top three rounds, he is the No. 30 overall wide receiver on Miller’s 2020 big board.
CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson has a similar trajectory of Texas’ top players beginning in the third round. Wilson lists Jones as the No. 85 overall selection to the Dallas Cowboys, while Duvernay heads to the New England Patriots at No. 93 overall. Johnson is listed at No. 118 overall to the New York Jets.
Although the buzz is centered around these three exciting players, don’t be surprised if Longhorns offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi and Zach Shackelford make a splash as mid-round selections also.
Impressive showings at the Senior Bowl and Pro-Day for Jones, Duvernay, and Johnson could raise these projections significantly, but the trend remains the same at Texas for the time being in terms day two and day three selections.