What the NFL Draft Says About TCU’s Player Development

The NFL Draft is always an exciting time on the sports calendar. The best and the brightest amateur athletes (can college athletes be considered amateurs anymore?) have the opportunity to hear their name called. For many, it’s the culmination of a dream that has been building ever since they were young. Throughout the years, these players have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into developing themselves into players worthy of playing in the NFL. But it’s not just an individual effort — often, an excellent support system is needed for players to succeed. Whether that’s family, friends, or coaches, everybody needs a little aid along the way.

That’s where college football programs begin to separate themselves. Talent might get a player noticed, but development is what gets them drafted — for the most part, at least. For TCU, that distinction has been a cornerstone of the program’s philosophy for decades. The Horned Frogs haven’t always recruited at the same level as the traditional blue-blood programs, which makes what happens once players arrive in Fort Worth even more critical. It’s not just about identifying potential — it’s about maximizing it.

When you look at the NFL Draft through that lens, it becomes a reflection of how well a program is doing behind the scenes. Every draft pick represents years of strength and conditioning, film study, coaching adjustments, and positional refinement. For TCU, draft weekend isn’t just a celebration of individual achievement, but it’s also a report card on the program itself. How many players are getting selected? Where are they being taken? Are they outperforming their recruiting rankings? Those answers start to paint a clearer picture of whether TCU is simply acquiring talent or truly developing it.

Development on Display

USC Trojans running back Bryan Jackson and TCU Horned Frogs safety Bud Clar — Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Bryan Jackson (21) attempts to catch the ball against TCU Horned Frogs safety Bud Clark (21) in the first half during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bud Clark is probably the starkest example of just how potent TCU’s player development can be. Clark was a four-star prospect coming out of high school in Louisiana, but he was slightly overshadowed in his recruiting class by other top-level recruits like Zach Evans, Quentin Johnston, and Savion Williams. That relative anonymity was reflected by the amount of playing time he received throughout his first two years in college under former Frogs head coach Gary Patterson. In 2020 and 2021, Clark appeared in just six games, making 13 tackles over that stretch. To say that his impact was limited would be an understatement.

Then Sonny Dykes rolled into town, and Clark’s world changed for the better.

Over the next four seasons, Clark became one of the best defensive backs in the Big 12. He made play after play, the most notable of which was his pick-six in the Fiesta Bowl against Michigan. It was in that moment that everyone realized just how special Clark's talent was. After two years of sitting out and grinding, Clark had finally emerged on the scene as a stalwart player.

Fast forward to the end of his college career, and he’s now set to be picked within the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. There was a time when some might have called that impossible, yet those people didn’t realize the potential TCU’s player development.

A Thin Draft Class

Nov 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Eric McAlister (1) celebrates after a touchdown reception during the first quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

But not everything is sunny and rosy in Fort Worth on the player development front, especially when it comes to this year's NFL Draft. No TCU player is slated to be picked in the first round, and it would be somewhat surprising — though not totally implausible — if anyone is selected in the second round, either. Based on current projections, which could change at any moment, it doesn’t appear likely that too many Horned Frogs will be selected in the later rounds, either, making this draft one of the slimmest in recent TCU history.

So, what happened? For one, there just weren’t that many draft-eligible athletes that TCU could send to the table this season. That happens, and it’s alright. But even then, it would have been nice if the Frogs could have possessed some top-end talent that could have driven the team to success in 2025. For anybody who watched a lick of TCU football this past season, they’re well aware of the absence of that.

It’s been roughly four years since the Horned Frogs have had a player who pops off the screen like no other. Perhaps someone will be coming soon who will end that unfortunate streak, but it doesn’t appear that it will happen this year.

Room for Growth

TCU’s player development is in a fine spot, but there’s always room for improvement. If the Frogs can take that next step, then they can be right up there with Texas Tech and BYU at the top of the Big 12. If not, then irrelevance and sadness will follow.

How to Watch the Draft

The NFL Draft takes place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, PA, at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium. The 91st edition features 257 picks over three days with a faster eight-minute time limit for first-round selections. You can watch on NFL Network, ESPN, and ABC. Streaming on NFL+, ESPN App, and Fubo TV.

Round 1: Thursday, April 23 at 7 PM CST

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