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.
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
