Last year, for the first time since 1937, no Texas Longhorns were selected in the NFL draft.
We don't expect that to be the case in 2015 - far from it. Here are five Longhorns you can expect to see on Sundays in the very near future:
5. Malcolm Brown, Senior RB
Brown's stock has fallen slightly after his stats regressed in his senior year, but there are plenty of teams looking at him as a late-round prospect. Much of Brown's value comes from his sure hands and his ability to contribute in the passing game, an area where Texas wasn't able to get the most out of him this year with their inconsistency at quarterback. Look for Brown to go in the 6th or 7th round.
4. Jordan Hicks, Senior OLB
Injuries prevented Hicks from playing a full season until 2014, his senior campaign, but he's impressed enough this year to vault him back into the draft conversation. You won't see him taken on the first day (players with his injury history just don't go that early), but quite a few scouts see him as a serious sleeper candidate. Hicks has the speed and technique to compete at the NFL level, and he's recently been named a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, given to the nation's top defensive player. Hicks could go anywhere from round 3 to round 6.
3. Cedric Reed, Senior DE
Reed has all the physical tools to excel at the next level, but there's still plenty of room for improvement. While his size and technique are major assets, Reed doesn't have any truly dominant moves or the power to simply brush by defenders, a la J.J. Watt. Because he isn't the finished article, Reed will probably be a third- or fourth-rounder, but his drive and raw potential could persuade a team to take him late in the second.
2. Quandre Diggs, Senior CB
Diggs hasn't been up to his usual standards in 2014, but he could still be a major contributor in the NFL. With great speed, awareness, and ball skills, Diggs is very good at breaking up passes and covering faster, smaller receivers, but he struggles against taller, larger wide receivers in man coverage. We can see Diggs starting out as a slot corner while building up the strength and consistency to handle larger, more physical NFL receivers. Look for Diggs to go in the second or third round.
1. Malcom Brown, Junior DT
Brown would have liked to rack up more sacks in his junior season, but his stock has still risen sharply in 2014 thanks to a very impressive overall campaign. A well-rounded player with no glaring weaknesses, Brown has an impressive motor and the ability to dominate smaller offensive linemen. Brown will enter the draft if he's given a first- or second-round grade, and we'd be shocked if he doesn't get it.
MORE:
The 3 Most Likely Bowl Destinations For The Texas Longhorns
Report: Texas Likely Headed To Texas Bowl
Back to the Texas Longhorns Newsfeed