Texas at the NFL Combine, and other NIL-related notes
Five Longhorns were invited to the NFL combine yesterday: Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson, Keondre Coburn, Moro Ojomo and DeMarvion Overshown.
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By comparison:
TCU: 9
Oklahoma: 7
Kansas State: 4
Iowa State: 4
Texas Tech: 2
Baylor: 2
Kansas: 2
Oklahoma State: 2
West Virginia: 2
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TCU must replace their QB, their top RB, top WR, top two OL, top DL, top LB and top DB.
- Alan Ali, OL
- Steve Avila, OL
- Derius Davis, WR
- Max Duggan, QB
- Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, DB
- Dylan Horton, DL
- Quentin Johnston, WR
- Kendre Miller, RB
- Dee Winters, LB
OU’s list is more hodgepodge. Marvin Mims, two OLs, their best interior DL Jalen Redmond, and Brayden Willis are of note.
Kansas State loses its top pass rusher and top corner, along with Duece Vaughn.
The big losses for Iowa State include their top WR Xavier Hutchinson, top pass rusher Will McDonald, and top interior DL MJ Anderson.
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Other notes:
– Baylor returned four of five starters on the OL this past year. But only one of those got a combine invite yesterday. While the Baylor OL may have been a strength of their team, it’s clear now that it was not ripe with NFL talent.
– I was surprised Oklahoma State only had two invites, but the Cowboys have suffered losses through the portal, including a QB that perhaps would have gotten an invite to the combine. And the two losses to the NFL are significant. DL Tyler Lacy and DB Jason Taylor were the true linchpins of that defense.
– Both TCU and Oklahoma lose the most, apparently. But I think it’s interesting that those two have also been so active in the portal, trying to replace what they lost with more experience.
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Where would Texas fit in its future conference, if ranked by number of combine invites?
Tied for 8th with three other teams.
Alabama: 13
Georgia: 12
Florida: 9
LSU: 9
Tennessee: 7
Oklahoma: 7
Auburn: 6
Texas: 5
Ole Miss: 5
Arkansas: 5
South Carolina: 5
Kentucky: 4
Mississippi State: 3
Texas A&M: 3
Missouri: 1
Vanderbilt: 1
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One special note for folks who are in the Houston area.
Steve Sarkisian and Chris Del Conte are holding a “Meet & Greet” in the Houston area on Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 4-7 p.m. It should be a special event and I’d encourage everyone who can to attend. Coach and the AD are raising money for NIL.
Sark will talk, which should be interesting considering spring practice will be just around the corner, and meet fans, as will Chris Del Conte. If you haven’t met either of them before, it should be a fun time for all.
I’m told Eric Nahlin, Gerry Hamilton and I plus a few of the regulars on the board might show up, too. Hope you can be there!
I know Coach is busy scheduling ones for other cities around the state, too, and I will keep folks aware of those when I get the firm dates and times.
