If you thought Texas was well-represented throughout the 2023 NFL Draft, next year should be even more special for the Longhorns.
Texas has over a handful of players that will be eligible for the 2024 NFL draft after this upcoming college football season concludes. The group is led by tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, wide receiver Xavier Worthy and quarterback Quinn Ewers.
The trio of Texas stars are already being mocked as first-round selections. However, should Sanders continue his upward trajectory, he could become the highest rated draft prospect for the Longhorns in 2024.
According to PFF, Sanders is the No. 3 returning tight end in college football for 2023.
Sanders joined Texas with a ton of hype as a top-15 recruit in the 2021 class. He began to live up to that billing in his sophomore season, catching 32 combined first downs and touchdowns in 2022, which trailed only Dalton Kincaid, Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers among FBS tight ends. His 613 receiving yards also trailed only Bowers among returning Power Five tight ends. He’s a freak athlete at 6-foot-4 and 242 pounds, and he is the early favorite to be TE2 in the 2024 draft behind Bowers.
Sanders concluded the 2022 season with 54 receptions for 613 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 11.4 yards per reception.
Here’s a look at PFF’s top 10 returning tight ends:
- Brock Bowers (Georgia)
- Brevyn Spann-Ford (Minnesota)
- Ja’Tavion Sanders (Texas)
- Jaheim Bell (Florida State)
- Bryson Nesbit (North Carolina)
- Benjamin Yurosek (Stanford)
- Cade Stover (Ohio State)
- Jalin Conyers (Arizona State)
- Caden Prieskorn (Ole Miss)
- Seydou Traore (Uncommitted)
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