Three Longhorns in first round of Way-Too-Early 2024 NFL Mock Draft
The Texas Longhorns had five players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, including Bijan Robinson, Texas’ first offensive player taken in the first round since Vince Young in 2006.
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Steve Sarkisian and staff having a first round offensive selection and five players drafted overall couldn’t have come at a better time headed into year three and for recruiting future classes.
The Longhorns are once again expected to have several names called in the 2024 NFL Draft following the 2023 season.
With the 2023 NFL Draft now in the books, the way-too-early 2024 NFL mock drafts are hitting the internet. And in the case of Pro Football Focus, their Way-Too-Early 2024 Mock Draft has three Longhorns going in the first round.
Ja’Tavion Sanders inside the top 20
Checking in at No. 18 is tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. The junior to be and All-Big 12 first team selection in 2022 caught 54 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns in his first year as a starter. The former On3 Industry Ranking 5-star and No. 12 overall prospect is expected to appear in the first round of more way-too-early mock drafts headed into the 2023 season.
PFF on Ja’Tavion Sanders: “Even after selecting Quentin Johnston, the Chargers could stand to add some pass-catchers. Sanders is a freak athlete at 6-foot-4, 242 pounds, and his 32 combined receiving first downs/touchdowns in 2022 trailed only Dalton Kincaid, Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers among Power Five tight ends.”
Quinn Ewers checks in at No. 21
In what will be a surprise to many Texas fans, Quinn Ewers checks in at No. 21 on PFF’s mock draft.
PFF on Ewers: “Ewers disappointed in his first season as a starter after being one of the highest-rated quarterback recruits ever. He still flashed his ridiculous arm talent, as his 6.6% big-time throw rate ranked sixth among Power Five quarterbacks. The issue is his decision-making and accuracy. Ewers’ 65.2% adjusted completion rate was the eighth-worst in the Power Five. If he can rein it in, Ewers can join Caleb Williams and Drake Maye at the top of the draft.”
The former On3 Industry Ranking 5-star passed for 2,177 yards and 15 touchdowns with six interceptions as a first year starter. He started 10 games as a redshirt freshman, playing less than a quarter against Alabama prior to an injury that kept him out of the games against UTSA, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
Xavier Worthy is the third Texas offensive player in the first round
A third Texas Longhorns offensive player in the first round of the PFF Way-too-early NFL mock draft is Xavier Worthy at No. 31.
PFF on Worthy: “It was a relatively down year for Worthy, whose 70.1 receiving grade in 2022 was more than 10 points lower than what he posted in 2021 as a true freshman. Despite seeing 10 more targets this past season, the sophomore recorded 224 fewer receiving yards and four fewer touchdowns than his dominant 2021 year.
He became much more of a downfield receiver this past season, with his average depth of target being 17.6 yards, which ranked seventh highest in the Power Five. That dwarfs his 13.4-yard figure from 2021, which was 69th in the same group. By making him more of a downfield threat, Texas took away one of Worthy’s best attributes: his ability after the catch. As a true freshman, Worthy’s 526 yards after the catch were the 10th most in the Power Five. He fell to 41st this year with only 324 yards after the catch.”
Worthy enters his junior season with 122 receptions for 1,741 yards and 21 touchdowns.
