CJ Vogel

The NFL released the Combine invitation list Tuesday morning. For Longhorn fans, the headline and takeaway was the 11 names on the Combine list who wore the burnt orange and white in 2023 that will represent the university at the next level. No one truly needs a reminder, but Texas will be joining the SEC in 2024 as well. The SEC for the last 15 seasons has been the gold standard for conferences in terms of NFL Draft production. On top of a full SEC schedule, the Longhorns will also take a trip up north to Ann Arbor to face off against the defending National Champions. Which leads me to the following talking point – how many NFL departures are expected from each P5 opponent on the Texas 2024 schedule. *** Number of 2024 Combine Invites per Upcoming Opponent: Michigan – 18 Mississippi State – 4 Oklahoma – 3 Georgia – 10 Vanderbilt – 0 Florida – 2 Arkansas – 5 Kentucky – 6 Texas A&M – 5 In total, 53 NFL caliber players are off of the schedule for Texas in 2024. Add in two more from Colorado State as well, who Texas begins the season with on August 31. *** Interestingly, in 2023, Texas entered the season with 52 NFL caliber players having departed the year previously with invitations to the NFL Combine. It is not a guaranteed science, nor does it give an indication on what is to come the upcoming season on the field. But it is interesting. *** What is to come for the upcoming season? A quick rundown of what each team is losing to the NFL. This won't include a look at the portal, which teams like Texas A&M have been hamstrung by this offseason as well. Michigan – Just about every meaningful starter from a year ago with the exception of Will Johnson, Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. Mississippi State – Three combine invites went to the defensive side of the ball. Miss State also lost a wide receiver in Lideatrick Griffin (658 yards in 2023). Oklahoma – Only three invites for OU this offseason. All three come on the offensive line which will have 100% turnover this upcoming season. Georgia – Ten feels a bit low for UGA, but that also does not include a handful of impactful portalers. Regardless, UGA has reloaded in the talent department and will be a top five preseason team in the country once again. Vanderbilt – Well, zero. Florida – Florida was hit much more significantly in the portal than the draft. WR Ricky Pearsall was the Gators' No. 1 WR in 2023, he will be in the NFL next fall. Arkansas – I was actually surprised to see five names on this list. Old recruiting heads might remember Dwight McGlothern, he is the most notable name to depart. Three other combine invites go to the trenches, then a specialist. Kentucky – Kentucky's backfield is heading to the NFL, QB Devin Leary and RB Ray Davis. Two departures in the back seven as well on the defensive side of the ball. Texas A&M – Three big departures here from College Station: LB Edgerrin Cooper, WR Ainias Smith, DB Domani Richardson. But again, the portal hit the Aggies much harder. View full news

Great note, Gerry!

Those NFL Draftees lists are going to be filled with Texas Longhorns over the next five years. Future is bright.

Texas had the fourth most invites of any program in the country to the combine. 18 - Michigan 13 - Washington 12 - Florida State 11 - Texas, Georgia

The NFL Combine invites have been sent out and 11 Longhorns are headed to Indianapolis! RB Keilan Robinson RB Jonathon Brooks WR Xavier Worthy WR Jordan Whittington WR AD Mitchell TE Ja'Tavion Sanders OL Christian Jones DL Byron Murphy DL T'Vondre Sweat LB Jaylan Ford DB Ryan Watts The testing weekend will be massive for guys like Jordan Whittington, Keilan Robinson and Ryan Watts to put one last showing together on the field for NFL scouts. Full List: https://www.nfl.com/news/full-list-of-prospects-invited-to-2024-nfl-scouting-combine View full news

I like this math. Need more!

Ohio State has the best overall roster in the country imo.

Happy Tuesday to all who celebrate! Wanted to share a couple of recruiting notes. *** I mentioned yesterday 2025 Alamo Heights ATH Michael Terry III will be attending the Texas Spring Game April 20. With the game kicking off at 1:00 p.m., the Texas staff will host a number of top prospects after on campus at the conclusion of the ballgame. While attention for Texas fans will head east for the baseball series against TCU at the Disch, the Texas staff will be hosting prospects well into the evening. *** I chatted a bit with 2025 North Crowley LB Jonathan Cunningham late last night as well. While there are no specific dates set, Cunningham did say he is trying to get down to campus for a visit in the spring – that could be March or April, again, it is undetermined. Texas offered Cunningham on February 1. *** On the Jonah Williams front, there was a crystal ball entry for him to end up at Oklahoma put in over the weekend. My memory is not tremendous, but I do believe that is now multiple picks entered in favor of the Sooners. Here is where I stand with Williams: If a decision is reported to be coming soon, it is bad news. If we see this recruitment enter the summer months, it is a new ballgame. Williams likes OU and they are the favorite at the moment. Texas is going to have to get Williams on campus for them to have any sort of chance here. I will say, the decision to recruit Williams as a DB is going to give the Longhorns a bit of assistance here. The connection with Brandon Hall and Jay Valai on the Sooner staff is proving to be a major difference maker at the moment. View full news

Rod and I got together this afternoon to discuss what ended up being a tremendous Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the 49ers. We also take a deep dive on what Sarkisian can use from the Super Bowl for his own coaching practices. View full news

His frame really surprised me when I saw him up close for the first time.

They are all over the place. Murphy and Sanders were in Dallas. Worthy in Arizona. Really just depends on where you feel comfortable training and living while preparing for the Combine and Draft.

Bond probably has more wiggle than Duvernay did. Both possess great speed and superb hands.

2025 Alamo Heights star athlete Michael Terry III will visit Austin in April for the Longhorns' spring game he tells OTF this afternoon. Terry was on campus January 20 for the Texas Junior Day where the Longhorns offered and officially entered the race for his recruitment. Texas A&M hosted Terry for an unofficial at the end of January as well. Terry mentioned TCU and Texas Tech as other programs that were high on his list following his trip to Texas in January. View full news

Oscar Giles is returning to the state of Texas to coach defensive line. Houston officially announces the hiring of former Texas defensive line coach Oscar Giles Monday afternoon. Giles was with the Longhorns prior to the hiring of Bo Davis when Steve Sarkisian arrived in 2021. There is familiarity here with the area of recruiting, specifically in the Houston area where he will now be calling H-Town home. The defensive line is an important position in the 2025 cycle and it could get much cloudier with the emergence of Giles to the region. View full news

We will see that in spring ball.

Excited for some ballgames at the Disch!

Quite the start to the season for the Longhorns on the diamond. Only makes that Red River series all the more exciting.

Not enough to warrant its own post after the updates from last week.

I'll throw out a sneaky one – Kentucky is an ultra important game to me. It splits two highly emotional contests with Arkansas and A&M. Kentucky is a scrappy, tough team that doesn't beat themselves all too often. Big trap game vibes right now.

That's something I will have to dive into more. Any throwing session now is organized by the quarterbacks, completely separate from the remainder of the team and coaching staff. Will get an update soon.