Texas Longhorns at the NFL Combine: Players have a lot to prove to move up in the NFL draft

Fourteen Longhorns are heading to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week, and every one of them, from an early-round prospect like Quinn Ewers to someone like Hayden Conner fighting for a selection at the end of day three, have something to prove at the most important job interview of their lives.

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Quinn Ewers, Hayden Conner, Jaydon Blue, Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, Gunnar Helm, Kelvin Banks, Jake Majors, Cameron Williams, Vernon Broughton, Alfred Collins, Barryn Sorrell, Jahdae Barron, and Andrew Mukuba will have the opportunity to prove themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally at Lucas Oil Stadium. On-field workouts start for Broughton, Collins, and Sorrell this Thursday and others will follow over the course of the weekend.

NFL combine dates.

Interviews on the 26th. DL & LB kick off measurements & games the 27th. pic.twitter.com/Kaa35C352U

— ZeeBee (@BellinoZee) February 12, 2025

In order for these Longhorns to top the program record 11 in the first six rounds from 2024, they’ll have to answer these questions in front of coaches, scouts, general managers, and more during the weeklong event in Indianapolis.

Here’s part one of a look at what Longhorn draft prospects need to do. Part two is below.

Hayden Conner, OG

Jake Majors’ longevity at center earned praise over the course of the 2024 season, but it overshadowed the work and consistency Hayden Conner provided at the left guard position since the start of the 2022 campaign. Conner played the position well, inching closer to “really well” more often than he ventured into the land of “poor.” His game has its strengths, namely pass blocking. It also has weaknesses, namely generating a push against similarly sized humans in the run game. The tape will reveal a good three years against good-to-great competition, the versatility to play multiple positions on the line, and the ability to protect the quarterback. If that turns a combine appearance into a draft pick all depends on if he can show he has room for physical development that may not have been fully tapped into at Texas, or if he has a physical trait that teams believe would serve them well in keeping on a 53 man roster.

Matthew Golden, WR

Golden went from perceived WR2 to the unquestioned WR1 for the Longhorns over the course of the run to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. Possessing the right amount of speed, savvy route-running ability, and phenomenal ball skills, Golden was a do-it-all receiver for Texas and made several of the biggest plays not just during the season, but in the history of Texas football. He’s fighting for a spot in the first round, but has a day two floor thanks to his production on the field. Somewhat like Adonai Mitchell last year, if Golden can showcase the right amount of speed, he’ll be another wide receiver success story for Steve Sarkisian.

Gunnar Helm, TE

Helm waited his turn and once it was his time to shine, he turned in one of the best seasons by a tight end in Texas football history. Not only was Helm a quality receiving threat, he became one of Quinn Ewers’ top targets and a regular threat to score in the end zone. Helm’s production should earn him a place in the early parts of day three, and if he has an excellent physical trait his roles at Texas may not have allowed him to showcase, displaying them in Indianapolis will move him up on draft boards as teams look to fill a critical part of modern offense.

Jake Majors, OC

Jake Majors got better and better as his career went on. The Longhorns’ all-time leader in starts, Majors was a consistent presence and made things work (and work well) play after play after play. A few false starts were sprinkled in, but when it came to blocking on key plays, Majors was as good as anyone Texas has put at the position in some time. He isn’t getting any taller, something that might scare some teams, but he’ll showcase quality strength and quickness and can show teams he knows how to command the line of scrimmage in his efforts to hear his name called in the draft.

Andrew Mukuba, S

Mukuba’s Austin homecoming resulted in his best collegiate season. As teams look to make the most of coverage players from two-high shells, Mukuba is joining the league at just the right time. His instincts and ball skills will be on display, and if he can display speed and quickness while possibly testing above his regular playing weight, teams will fall in love with the safety that possesses corner traits as they look to limit over-the-top offensive attacks.

Barryn Sorrell, EDGE

Sorrell is showing up to the combine after a strong week of work at the Senior Bowl. At Texas, he played in the hybridized Jack EDGE position in Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense. He’ll be able to do that in the NFL, but he would also benefit from finding a team that runs more odd fronts that puts him in a role more akin to a true outside linebacker. If he’s at 250-255 pounds at the combine and he’s able to showcase the edge-holding strength and bull-rush ability that were his best traits at Texas, a team will find a player worth taking in the draft.

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Cameron Williams, OT

Williams has first-round size and athleticism, but his tape reveals there’s some lacking technical ability. Though he was playing through a multitude of bumps, bruises, and injury in the CFP semifinals, the decisive rep against Jack Sawyer is the best evidence of the holes in Williams’ game. Showing up in Indy with the ability to showcase his elite athleticism as well as displaying additional technical refinement would put him closer to the top of the draft, like he was throughout the season in popular mock drafts.