11 Longhorns taken, the most since ’84
When defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (Seattle) and wide receiver Xavier Worthy (Kansas City) were picked in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday, that was only the beginning for the Longhorns, who had one of their best showings in the draft in decades.
Texas had three players go in the second round Friday: Defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat to Tennessee, running back Jonathon Brooks to Carolina and receiver Adonai Mitchell to Indianapolis.
Six more were picked on Saturday to give Texas 11 players in the draft. Michigan, which won the national title had the most with 13.
The 11 selections were the most for the Longhorns since the NFL went to a seven-round draft in 1994 and the most since 17 Longhorns were picked in 1984 (a 12-round draft).
On Friday, Sweat was off the board early, going to the Titans with the sixth pick of the second round. Where Sweat would go after a recent arrest for driving while intoxicated was one of the big questions of the draft.
Sweat visited Tennessee after the incident, and new coach Brian Callahan along with general manager Ran Carthon and defensive line coach Tracy Rocker went to his home to visit him and his family.
“We had some tough conversations while we were there,” Carthon said.
Sweat, who played at Huntsville, said the phone call telling him he had been picked “Was, ‘Let’s get to business, let’s do it, and put all the other stuff aside. We’re getting you, and we believe in you and we trust you.’ ”
Brooks was the first running back to go after the Panthers traded up six spots to take him with the 46th pick. He might have gone earlier but he tore his ACL late in the season after rushing for 1,139 yards in 11 games.
“I just spent some time with him the other day, he looks great, said he feels great, and Carolina is going to get a lot of value out of Jonathon at this pick because he could have been a first-round guy if he’d been healthy,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “Everything he’s getting right now he’s earned.”
Brooks played behind Bijan Robinson (the first running back taken in last year’s draft) and Roschon Johnson before getting his turn as the lead back last season.
The only draft that had a longer wait for a running back came in 2014. Bishop Sankey was the first one taken when he went 54th to Tennessee that year. The only other time in the common draft era, starting in 1967, when no running backs were taken in the first round came two years ago, when Breece Hall was the first taken at No. 36 by the New York Jets.
“I think for us, we value the running backs and we value the running game,” Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said. “I think to have a guy like Jonathon Brooks, he was a guy we loved and identified. … They are valuable to us because we are going to be running the ball.”
Mitchell had been projected in some mock drafts as a first-round selection but slid to the Colts with the 20th pick of the second round, 52nd overall.
Mitchell said “I’m excited to work, excited to get to Indianapolis and be the best teammate I can be and the best person, and ultimately, the best player I can be for the team.”
On Saturday, tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders was the first player picked, going first in the fourth round to the Panthers, where he will team up with Brooks.
A pair of players who stayed in Austin and passed up earlier opportunities to go pro — linebacker Jaylan Ford and receiver Jordan Whittington — went in the fifth round. Whittington was picked 37th by the Rams and Ford 40th by the Saints.
“Coach McVay and the Rams are going to absolutely love Jordan Whittington,” Sarkisian said. “There’s nobody on our team that was more valuable than J-Whitt in helping us build our program and culture in our three years at Texas.”
Also going in the fifth round were offensive tackle Christian Jones (Cy Woods) to the Cardinals at 27 and running back/returner Kielan Robinson to the Jaguars at 32.
Cornerback Ryan Watts was the final pick of the day, going to the Steelers in the sixth.