A look at the Longhorn running backs that have been taken in the NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft just a week away, Texas’ unanimous All-American running back Bijan Robinson is a consensus pick to be the first at his position to be selected – likely in the opening round on April 27.

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Robinson earned All-America honors by rushing for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns as the Longhorns (8-5) finished third in the Big 12 before losing to 12th-ranked Washington in the Alamo Bowl. 

Robinson is fourth on Texas’ career rushing list with 3,410 yards rushing. He trails two Heisman Trophy winners in all-time school rushing leader Ricky Williams (6,279 yards) and Earl Campbell (4,443), who is third, as well as the late Cedric Benson (5,540).

Plus, his backfield-mate Roschon Johnson, who tallied over 2000 career rushing yards and was the leader of the Longhorn locker room, has a strong chance of being selected in the draft as well.

When Robinson and Johnson are selected, they will add to a long line of Longhorn running backs chosen in the draft, dating back to fullback Hugh Wolfe, who went in the third round in 1938 to the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 19th overall pick.

There’s even a player, Ralph Ellsworth, who was drafted three times, twice as a Longhorn and once as a player for Navy – for whom he played for in 1945 after transferring from Texas during World War II. Go look up Ellsworth when you have a minute – his story is amazing.

Given Robinson and Johnson’s status in the upcoming draft, we decided to take a look at all the Texas running backs who have been selected in the NFL’s annual talent grab. 

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In all, 40 Longhorns running backs have been selected in the draft, with 21 of those before 1960. Five of the running backs have been taken in the first round, and one – Earl Campbell – was the first player taken in the draft.

Player-Year-Round-Pick-Overall-Team

Hugh Wolfe – 1938 – 3 – 4 -19 -Pittsburgh Steelers

Eugene “Spec” Sanders – 1941 – 1 – 6 – 6 – Washington Redskins

Noble Doss – 1941 – 11 – 3 – 93 – Philadelphia Eagles

Pete Layden – 1942 – 14 – 8 – 128 – New York Giants

Jackie Crain – 1942 – 17 – 4 – 154 – Chicago Cardinals

Roy McKay – 1943 – 5 – 8 – 38 – Green Bay Packers

Jackie Field – 1943 – 18 – 7 – 167 – Pittsburgh Steelers

Jim Callahan – 1944 – 2 – 2 – 13 – Brooklyn Dodgers

Ralph Park – 1944 – 3 – 2 – 18 – Brooklyn Dodgers

Ralph Ellsworth – 1944 – 16 – 5 – 158 – New York Giants

Player-Year-Round-Pick-Overall-Team

Ralph Ellsworth – 1945 – 13 – 6 – 126 – Chicago Bears

Ralph Ellsworth – 1947 – 9 – 8 – 72 – Cleveland Browns (AAFC)

Ray Borneman – 1948 – 27 – 5 – 190 – Los Angeles Rams

Randy Clay – 1950 – 3 – 6 – 33 – New York Giants

Perry Samuels – 1950 – 25 – 9 – 322 – Chicago Bears

Bobby Coy Lee – 1950 – 26 – 4 – 330 – Detroit Lions

Billy Pyle – 1950 – 28 – 12 – 364 – Cleveland Browns

Byron Townsend – 1952 – 9 – 12 – 109 – Los Angeles Rams

Dick Ochoa – 1952 – 12 – 10 – 143 – New York Giants

Bob Raley – 1952 – 22 – 10 – 263 – New York Giants

Player-Year-Round-Pick-Overall-Team

Gib Dawson – 1953 – 4 – 6 – 43 – Green Bay Packers

Billy Quinn – 1955 – 6 – 9 – 70 – Philadelphia Eagles

Delano Womack – 1956 – 19 – 5 – 122 – Philadelphia Eagles

Mike Dowdle – 1960 – 15 – 11 – 179 – San Francisco 49ers

Jack Collins – 1962 – 7 – 5 – 89 – Pittsburgh Steelers

Jimmy Saxton – 1962 – 11 – 6 – 146 – St. Louis Cardinals

Jerry Cook – 1963 – 6 – 5 – 75 – Baltimore Colts

Ernie Koy Jr. – 1965 – 11 – 1 – 141 – New York Giants

Phil Harris – 1966 – 7 – 9 – 104 – New York Giants

Steve Worster – 1971 – 4 – 12 – 90 -Los Angeles Rams

Jim Bertelsen – 1972 – 2 – 4 – 30 – Los Angeles Rams

Player-Year-Round-Pick-Overall-Team

Roosevelt Leaks – 1975 – 5 – 1 – 105 – Baltimore Colts

Earl Campbell – 1978 – 1 – 1 – 1 – Houston Oilers

Rodney Tate – 1982 – 4 – 27 – 110 – Cincinnati Bengals

A.J. Jones – 1982 – 8 – 7 – 202 – Los Angeles Rams

John Walker – 1984 – 9 – 17 – 241 – St. Louis Cardinals

Eric Metcalf – 1988 – 1 – 13 – 13 – Cleveland Browns

Chris Samuels – 1991 – 12 – 11 – 317 – San Diego Chargers

Ricky Williams – 1999 – 1 – 5 – 5 – New Orleans Saints

Player-Year-Round-Pick-Overall-Team

Cedric Benson – 2005 – 1 – 4 – 4 – Chicago Bears

Jamaal Charles – 2008 – 3 – 10 – 73 – Kansas City Chiefs

Chris Ogbonnaya – 2009 – 7 – 2 – 211 – St. Louis Rams

D’Onta Foreman – 2017 – 3 – 25 – 50 – Houston Texans