There will be plenty of Texas Longhorns looking to make the jump to the NFL in the upcoming draft. It has been five years since the fanbase has seen one of their former players drafted in the first round. It’s also been 15 years since they have seen two players taken in the first round. However, this should be the year the streak is broken.
According to the latest mock draft from The Draft Network, two former Longhorns are taken on day one of the draft.
Samuel Cosmi, OT, Los Angeles Chargers
Pick 01.13
I thought long and hard about giving the Chargers Caleb Farley here, but decided to give them an offensive tackle to protect their superstar quarterback Justin Herbert. The debate for OT2 will be a good one as the draft evaluation process continues to unfold, but I have Samuel Cosmi as that guy as it stands now. Cosmi has the length, balance, and lateral mobility that makes him an outstanding pass protector. Additionally, he is excellent in the run game, can reach the second level, and always looks to finish his blocks.
Given that the Chargers found their quarterback of the future last season in Justin Herbert out of Oregon, they need to protect him. Cosmi is viewed as a fringe top 10 pick and one of the best available offensive tackles at this point in the draft where Los Angeles will be picking. Feels like a no-brainer decision.
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Next, we look at the other first-round pick