Sam Ehlinger will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in Texas history.
As a true freshman, he was awarded the opportunity to make his first collegiate start against San Jose State due to an injury to former quarterback Shane Buechele. Ehlinger took the reins and never looked back.
The beloved signal caller and Austin native brought much-needed stability at the position for four consecutive seasons. Despite not securing a Big 12 title, he finished his career with 11,436 passing yards, 94 touchdowns, and 923 completions — each of those numbers rank second in Texas history behind Colt McCoy.
However, many are unsure of how his skillset will translate to the professional level. Ehlinger has the mentality, leadership and physicality. Can he improve on his anticipatory throws and accuracy through the air? His Senior Bowl performance and Pro Day workout will be crucial for his draft stock.
At the moment, Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire considers Ehlinger one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL draft. Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields unsurprisingly sit atop the rankings, but it’s worth noting that former Longhorn Shane Buechele was also included on the short list.
- Trevor Lawrence
- Justin Fields
- Zach Wilson
- Trey Lance
- Mac Jones
- Kyle Trask
- Jamie Newman
- Kellen Mond
- Sam Ehlinger
- Shane Buechele
It’s a great year for NFL organizations who are in the market for a franchise quarterback. Within the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, we could realistically witness five signal callers taken off of the board.
Ehlinger and Buechele are currently projected to be a mid-round selection.