CJ Vogel

Just a smidge over ten weeks away from the 2025 NFL Draft and 16 days away from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. While we sit a wait for the actual progressions to take place, I wanted to theorize with you all to find perfect Draft fits for each Longhorn hopeful. Whether it be scheme fit, style of play of success from previously drafted players, I thought this would be a fun practice. Starting position by position, let's get to it. *** QB Quinn Ewers – Los Angeles Rams There were only a few teams that I see as fits for Quinn Ewers, which is fine when you consider 18 quarterbacks are making north of $30,000,000 per year currently. There is an obvious connection with Ewers and Sean McVay, but even more than that, the fit with Matthew Stafford and his career timeline line up perfectly for a natural succession process in LA. Puka Nacua provides a great intermediate route winner and there is familiarity with Jordan Whittington already. This is my favorite of the 32 possible destinations for Ewers. RB Jaydon Blue – Cleveland Browns Someone is going to see what Jahmyr Gibbs has done for the Detroit Lions and take a flier on Jaydon Blue. The receiving ability matched up with elite, breakaway speed will have some team calling is name pretty early. The oft-injured Nick Chubb and emergence of Jerome Ford makes for a fine tandem, but neither possess the soon-to-be 4.3 speed of Blue. Both can knock out the inbetween the tackles work, while Blue's third down playmaking ability complements very well. WR Matthew Golden – Dallas Cowboys Sorry to any Texans fans in the chat, and I promise my Cowboys Blue isn't the lead reason for this marriage here. The Cowboys desperately need a No. 2 next to CeeDee Lamb. When comparing other playoff-level teams and their No. 2 option at wide receiver with the Cowboys, there are very few option worse than Brandin Cooks and 259 receiving yards in 2024. The Cowboys need someone to alleviate the pressure put on Lamb and Golden's ability to win one-on-one routes does just that. WR Isaiah Bond – New York Giants Similarly to Golden, I love the idea of Bond coming into the league as the No. 2 option to Malik Nabers. It is clear the Giants have themselves a solidified top option after 1200-yard season in year one, but now a speedster to open up the middle of the field will go a long way. Not to mention, at pick 1.3, it is very likely the Giants go with Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, both of whom were very solid in the deep passing game in college. TE Gunnar Helm – Denver Broncos Perhaps as surprising as any development in 2024 was the play of rookie QB Bo Nix. The Broncos are set at wide receiver with Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims, but are completely lacking at the tight end position. Adam Trautman's 188 yards led the Broncos at the tight end position in 2024, Denver finished 30th in the league in receiving yards by tight ends as well. For as well as Nix was able to scramble to create, I couldn't help but think a safety blanket over the middle would solve a lot of issues for the young QB. LT Kelvin Banks – Chicago Bears Perhaps the worst left tackle play I have watched since Chaz Green allowed 6 sacks in a single game to Adrian Clayborn back in 2017 came from the Bears in 2024. The Bears have their quarterback of the future and surrounded him with playmakers on the outside. The issue is, too often there was no time available to get the ball out that direction. That changes – or at least starts to change – with Kelvin Banks. OC Jake Majors – Indianapolis Colts Probably the toughest position to try and pick for Majors. Who needs a center? Who needs a center right away? Will Majors be a guy that plays right away? I would imagine the Colts do what they can to retain Ryan Kelly, who is an UDFA this offseason, but regardless, the best situation with an opening at the position gets the nod for Majors. RT Cam Williams – New England Patriots The Patriots relied on an undrafted Demontrey Jacobs for the final half of the season in 2024, which likely isn't the long-term plan for protecting Mac Jones in year two. Just like Banks, these teams with young quarterbacks need to find a sustainable level of protection and Williams fits the mold right away. DL Alfred Collins – Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs have the blue print already laid out for a former five-star, second round pick who has measurables around 6-foot-6-inches and 300 pounds with Chris Jones. This is not to compare the two and their play, but more everything else. Collins is now north of 320 pounds but the rest remains the same. I like this fit perfectly for the Chiefs and Collins. DL Vernon Broughton – Minnesota Vikings Minnesota's defense in 2024 took a big step forward and in large part, it is due to the efforts of Brian Flores, their defensive coordinator. Brian Flores is a zero-blitz mastermind which means that a pass-rushing interior defensive lineman like Broughton would be matched up in 1v1 situations plenty. DB Andrew Mukuba – Pittsburgh Steelers I trust a Steeler defensive back more than most of my good friends. They are well-coached, very disciplined and can lay the wood. It has been the case my entire life and it won't change as long as Mike Tomlin is still in charge. Currently, the Steelers run out a tandem of Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott, though Elliott's contract expires after 2025 and a cheaper, longer option next to the $33M Fitzpatrick will make over the next two years makes sense financially. CB Jahdae Barron – Washington Commanders As a Cowboy fan, hate watching the Commanders and their new, shining toy at quarterback was far too often a Sunday ritual this season. However, one thing was very clear when watching the Commanders – their cornerbacks were atrociously soft and poor in coverage, a perfect fit for the reigning Thorpe Award winner. Per PFF, out of 80 cornerbacks with more than 600 snaps in 2024, Washington CBs ranked 66th, 78th and 79th.

Correct

I’ve heard Terry Joseph making the move to safeties coach and Texas adding a CB coach to fill the staff is very much a possibility as well.

Won't happen.

By title,perhaps. But we just saw Johnny Nansen move from Arizona DC to Texas Co-DC with PK already in place. It happens.

Development of elite talent in the secondary with multiple All-Americans. I checked with a contact familiar who said who said Mickens is one of his favorite coaches he interacts with often. Youthful, energetic and knows his stuff. Mickens was also the lead recruiter for Leonard Moore and Micah Bell (Kinkaid School in Houston), so he is familiar with the Texas recruiting landscape as well.

I tend to agree

Haha my bad, at ND since 2020.

The search for the next Texas defensive backs coach continues on after Blake Gideon took the Georgia Tech defensive coordinators position. One name that has been passed on to me as a candidate for the opening is current Notre Dame DB coach Mike Mickens. Mickens has been on staff at Notre Dame since 2020, where he was the cornerbacks coach until making the jump to the Defensive Backs coach in 2024. In 2020, Mickens coached with Terry Joseph on the staff at Notre Dame. Before Notre Dame, Mickens had stops at Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Idaho, all as cornerbacks coach. He graduated from Cincinnati and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 7th round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Mickens was the lead recruiter for star freshman CB Leonard Moore and was instrumental in the development of Xavier Watts, Kyle Hamilton and Benjamin Morrison.

Not a huge scoring day for Rori Harmon, but man, she is everywhere on the floor. So many 50/50 balls won and little details executed very well from start to finish.

Very impressive win. This team is legit. Texas will greatly benefit from having two bigs who can score and defend in the tournament. Oldacre and Jones were great today, Oldacre especially down the stretch.

26.5 left. Texas up 2. SCAR ball

Final possession ballgame.

10,517 announced as the attendance tonight. Packed house.

Also crazy, jumbo tron shared a stat that the 9 point lead at half for Texas was the largest halftime deficit for South Carolina in 4 years.

South Carolina started hitting some outside shots which played a big role in the lead evaporating for Texas in that 3Q.

IMG_7553.mov

Moody is rocking today. Awesome atmosphere.

The Longhorns have found themselves in the top six for 2026 Hawaii OL Malakai Lee. The remainder of the top six includes USC, BYU, Michigan, Alabama and Georgia. The 6-foot-6-inch and 320-pound offensive lineman currently holds predictions to Michigan, but is another prime example of the work put in by the Texas staff on the out of state front.

Long overdue. Shouldn't have been brought back for 2024-25. Keep him far away from Austin, Texas.

Sign me up for any and all levels of versatility with Lance Jackson and Justus Terry. Great note, Gerry!

Shoutout Allen, Texas !

Lol!

Gramatica tells me he hopes to visit Austin for a visit in the spring and the idea of an official visit has already been brought up by the Texas staff as well. Dates are TBD.