The Texas Longhorns are playoff bound. With that, it’s likely several Texas players are set to leave early for the 2024 NFL draft.
The goal posts have moved for casual fans who are hypercritical of the Texas program. The criticism has quickly shifted from Texas’ inability to develop players and inability to win 10 games, win a conference, or make a four-team playoff to the team’s 2024 roster. Now Texas is losing too many great players according to those who once suggested they didn’t produce many, if any at all.
The above critics believed head coach Steve Sarkisian couldn’t win 10 games in 2023. He’s won 12 games so far and has a chance to win 14 for the season. We have yet to see those critics eat crow for that whiff.
The Longhorns will lose some significant talents in wide receivers Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell and Jordan Whittington. They will lose right tackle Christian Jones and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders.
Unfortunately for those hoping for a dramatic falloff, Texas has more starter quality offensive linemen returning than they have spots on the field. They also have a talent surplus at receiver with players who have simply been blocked by better players.
Defensively, Texas loses two defensive linemen, potentially two linebackers (although David Gbenda could return), a safety and two cornerbacks. Both edge rushers should return in Barryn Sorrell and Ethan Burke. Anthony Hill and Morice Blackwell return at linebacker. And in a secondary in which Texas heavily rotated players, starter quality players in Terrance Brooks, Michael Taaffe, Malik Muhammad and Derek Williams all come back.
Let’s break down where Texas is for 2024 position-by-position.