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With the NFL Draft less than two weeks away, analysts have been busy making their predictions. Last year, 11 Texas Longhorns were selected, a modern-era program record. While that is a tough number to match, the Longhorns were a popular name in ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates' latest mock draft.
Five Texas players were taken in the first three rounds of their draft. That quintet included Kelvin Banks Jr., Matthew Golden, Jahdae Barron, Andrew Mukuba, and Alfred Collins. Their rankings come as no surprise, as the Longhorns were one of the best teams in the country last season, finishing two wins short of a national championship.
The first Longhorns player selected was Kelvin Banks Jr., who was projected to land with the 49ers. He is a very versatile, effective lineman who was a key piece of the Longhorns' offense. His stock has fallen in recent weeks, but many scouts still see him as a player who can make a difference at the NFL level.
After Banks, the next player to come off the board was Matthew Golden at No.12 to the Dallas Cowboys. During his only year at Texas Golden set career-highs in receptions with 58 and receiving yards with 987. He is expected to be one of the first wide receivers selected.
The last Texas player to go in the first round was Jahdae Barron. Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates had the Arizona Cardinals taking Barron with the 16th overall pick. He is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he won the Jim Thorpe Award. The award is given to the nation's best defensive back. The Cardinals' defense would get a much-needed boost with him in their secondary.
Rounding out the list are safety Andrew Mukuba and defensive tackle Alfred Collins. In the mock draft, Mukaba was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 70th overall pick, and Collins went to the 49ers at 75. While a lot can change leading up to the draft, all five players that Kiper and Yates mentioned have a very good chance of hearing their names called.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: 2025 Mock NFL Draft
Continue reading...
Five Texas players were taken in the first three rounds of their draft. That quintet included Kelvin Banks Jr., Matthew Golden, Jahdae Barron, Andrew Mukuba, and Alfred Collins. Their rankings come as no surprise, as the Longhorns were one of the best teams in the country last season, finishing two wins short of a national championship.
The first Longhorns player selected was Kelvin Banks Jr., who was projected to land with the 49ers. He is a very versatile, effective lineman who was a key piece of the Longhorns' offense. His stock has fallen in recent weeks, but many scouts still see him as a player who can make a difference at the NFL level.
After Banks, the next player to come off the board was Matthew Golden at No.12 to the Dallas Cowboys. During his only year at Texas Golden set career-highs in receptions with 58 and receiving yards with 987. He is expected to be one of the first wide receivers selected.
The last Texas player to go in the first round was Jahdae Barron. Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates had the Arizona Cardinals taking Barron with the 16th overall pick. He is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he won the Jim Thorpe Award. The award is given to the nation's best defensive back. The Cardinals' defense would get a much-needed boost with him in their secondary.
Rounding out the list are safety Andrew Mukuba and defensive tackle Alfred Collins. In the mock draft, Mukaba was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 70th overall pick, and Collins went to the 49ers at 75. While a lot can change leading up to the draft, all five players that Kiper and Yates mentioned have a very good chance of hearing their names called.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: 2025 Mock NFL Draft
Continue reading...
