When the Texas Longhorns next take the field against Kansas State on Dec. 5 they will do so without offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi.
In the fallout of the 23-23 loss to Iowa State, the offensive line would end up losing their best player. Not to injury, but Cosmi opted out of the remainder of the season to prepare for the NFL Draft. When Sam Ehlinger trots out onto the field at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, it will be without Cosmi for the first time since the Texas Bowl in 2017. The offensive tackle redshirted that year.
Since that time, Cosmi has started 34 games on the offensive line. In 2018 he was the right tackle. Over the last 21 games, he has been the blindside protector for Ehlinger on the left. This decision has been one that he had been mulling over for the last few weeks. Once the Longhorns were effectively eliminated from Big 12 Championship contention, Cosmi decided it was time.
Thank you Texasđ¤đź pic.twitter.com/iHV71BbNQb
— SamuelCosmi (@SamCosmi) November 29, 2020
Cosmi is expected to be a first-round selection. As was written when the announcement happened, that has a bit of history behind it. The not exactly great history given the school’s inability to produce first-round talent as of late.
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The plain and simple truth is that this was the right decision for Samuel Cosmi. With no opportunity to play for a conference championship should he stick around? Had they beaten Iowa State, I think this decision wouldn’t have come. With a top pick being on the table and of course millions of dollars, he made the right call.
There have been many players that were injured in bowl games that in fact impacted their NFL Draft hopes. Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith is a prime example. That horrific knee injury pushed him down from a consensus top-five pick to the second round. That has financial implications. These types of injuries can happen at any time, such as Sidney Jones tearing his Achilles during a pro-day workout. However, the risk is drastically limited by opting to not play in games.
Cosmi made a decision that will not only impact his life but future generations. When you take off your fan hat for a moment, it is easy to see why he would make this call.
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