FOUR LONGHORNS AIM TO HEAR NAME CALLED
AUSTIN — No Longhorn did more to boost his NFL prospects in 2019 than wideout Devin Duvernay.
In the wake of breakout slot star Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s decision to enter last year’s draft as an underclassman, Texas coaches had an idea to move the compact speedster into the vacated spot. Duvernay got on board and went on to have one of the greatest receiving seasons in school history.
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His 106 receptions and 1,386 yards ranked second in school history. He needed just 10 games to hit 1,000 receiving yards, becoming just the second Longhorn to do so ( Jordan Shipley, 2009). And he led all Big 12 receivers in catches, catches per game, receiving yards and receiving yards per game and was third with nine receiving touchdowns.
It was an extraordinary breakout considering Duvernay’s combined totals from his first three seasons: 61 receptions, 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns.
“Being able to see the transformation and obviously the position move that Devin went through from when I first got here to where he is now, Devin has been a guy that every coach dreams of,” Texas quarterback
Sam Ehlinger said. “There was no complaining. Obviously, he knew what he was capable of when he stepped foot in here. And he got the opportunity to do that this year, and he didn’t say a word about it. He just kept working hard.
“And now you see all the hard work that he’s put in. It’s a testament to his character, and he’s going to be a hell of a player at the next level.”
It’s possible Duvernay could be the first Longhorn to hear his
name called in the 2020 NFL draft, which will be conducted virtually from Thursday through Saturday.
Here’s a look at some other Longhorns who could be selected in this year’s draft:
Collin Johnson, WR
A nagging hamstring injury turned what was supposed to be a showcase season for Johnson into a disappointment. He appeared in just seven of 13 games, finishing with 38 receptions for 559 yards and three scores, far off the 68985-7 line he has as a junior.
“Injuries are a part of the game,” Johnson said. “It’s frustrating, especially being in the position that I’m in, my senior year, my last go-round with this thing.
“But you just had to manage it and kind of control what you could control, stay positive.”
Still, the son of 10-year NFL vet Johnnie Johnson has the kind of size (6-6, 220 pounds) and catch radius coaches covet. He could grow into a formidable red-zone threat if given the opportunity.
Tape of Johnson going wild against No. 4 USC as a sophomore — seven catches for 191 yards in a double-overtime loss — and an overpowering performance in the 2018 Big 12 championship game are proof he can produce in bigtime moments. That should be enough to make some team take a chance on Johnson in the middle rounds of the draft.
Brandon Jones, S
Like Duvernay, Jones was another beneficiary of a strong senior season.
The 6-0, 205-pound safety led Texas in tackles (86) during the regular-season before a shoulder injury sidelined him for the Alamo Bowl and this year’s combine in Indianapolis. He also recorded 4½ tackles for loss, four pass breakups, one sack and one forced fumble.
He recorded three games of 10 tackles in 2019 and over the past three seasons racked up 217 total stops in 35 games.
Jones, a team captain in 2019, also made some noise with a unique plan to catch the eye of NFL scouts. Unable to perform in front of them, he instead studied hours upon hours of footage on all 32 teams and composed a massive binder, over 100 pages, to present.
Former defensive coordinator Todd Orlando believes Jones could end up playing nickel in the pros after last year’s strong showing there.
“I think that’s a solid position for him,” Orlando said. “I think that might be where he ends up in
the NFL, to be honest with you. He’s shown the ability to cover slots, really good ones.”
Malcolm Roach, DE
The son of a coach and soul of last year’s Texas team, Roach would be an asset to any locker room. His potential place on the field is another question. The 6-3, 290-pounder never racked up any gaudy stats or accumulated accolades during his four years at UT.
Roach did have his best showing in 2019, ranking third on the
team with nine tackles for loss and three sacks. He also finished with a career-high 40 tackles.
“He shows up; he’s consistent every week,” Orlando said. “And he can cover up some deficiencies that we have, whether it’s pressuring the quarterback or stopping the run or doing something elite.”
Most mock drafts project Roach as a sixth- or seventhround pick.