Recruiting, developing NFL talent difference for Texas under Steve Sarkisian

When you think of Texas playing Alabama, the first thought is the 2009 national championship. While Nick Saban was just getting rolling in Tuscaloosa with a win in Pasadena, the Longhorns have gone downhill since then. A dark time for the program has led to a third coach since Mack Brown left but Steve Sarkisian has finally brought a different feeling to the 40 Acres in Year 3.

Partially because of the high-level recruiting Sarkisian has pulled off since taking over. It’s easy to look at rankings and say Texas has always recruited well. While partially true, Bobby Burton of On3’s Inside Texas explained to On3’s Andy Staples how the 2022 and 2023 classes are already panning out for Texas. In the season opener against Rice alone, double-digit freshmen got onto the field.

“They’ve had two consecutive recruiting classes that they are panning out,” Burton said during Tuesday’s episode of Andy Staples On3. “Sometimes, recruiting classes fall apart and a highly ranked class looks average at best. The last two are not doing that. They played, I think, 12 true freshmen on Saturday. They started one at running back (CJ Baxter). Anthony Hill at linebacker, Derek Williams at safety. They’ve got some guys.”

And then when discussing some of the upperclassmen, Texas is going to be a popular school this upcoming April in Detroit. For the first time in a long time, an abundance of NFL talent resides in Austin. A few guys Sarkisian brought in via the NCAA transfer portal but others were recruited under Tom Herman. All of the development, though, has been under the current staff.

“They have eight to 10 guys that are going to get NFL draft grades this coming season,” Burton. “So, they’ll have a big group.”

For reference, Texas has not seen more than five players drafted in one year since 2010 — the year they played in the national championship game against Alabama. Since the NFL Draft went to seven rounds in the mid-1990s, seven is the most players selected from Texas, coming in 2007.

With Burton saying eight is the potential floor of future NFL guys, Sarkisian has the roster mixed with soon-to-be pros and incredible young talent.

“The difference right now is depth, one through 85,” Burton said. “They are probably good talent 1-60 right now… Steve Sarkisian this way. ‘The difference between our ones and our twos is much closer than when I got here. So if somebody goes out, there’s not this massive drop in expectations or performance.

“That’s the difference between Texas then and now.”