List of Every Texas First-Round Pick in NFL History

The Texas Longhorns have a long history with the NFL Draft, with the first Longhorn being drafted all the way back in 1938.

Since then, 356 Texas players have been selected, 50 of them in the first round.

Here is the list of those players, with the newest group of Longhorn draft-hopefuls potentially joining them tonight.

1940's

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Bobby Layne against the Cleveland Browns during the 1962 season | David Boss-Imagn Images

Overall Pick/Year	Name	Team	Position
No. 6, 1942	Spec Sanders	Washington Redskins	Tailback
No. 5, 1947	Hub Bechtol	Pittsburgh Steelers	Offensive End
No. 3, 1948	Bobby Layne	Chicago Bears	Quarterback
No. 10, 1948	Max Bumgardner	Chicago Bears	Defensive Back
No. 11, 1949	Dick Harris	Chicago Bears	Center

Spec Sanders became the first Longhorn ever drafted in the first round when he was taken by the then Washington Redskins in 1942. Neither him nor the second-ever first-round Longhorn Hub Bechtol played in the NFL, though both were productive in the All American Football Conference.

Bobby Layne reversed that trend, and was one of the greatest Longhorns to ever play in the NFL.

Tom Landry was also drafted in the 20th round of 1947, and while he was more famous for his coaching endeavors than his playing days, he was an excellent defensive back and punter.

1950's

Overall Pick/Year	Name	Team	Position
No. 11, 1951	Bud McFadin	Los Angeles Rams	Offensive Guard
No. 10, 1953	Tom Stolhandske	San Fransisco 49ers	Linebackers
No. 13, 1953	Harley Sewell	Detroit Lions	Offensive Guard
No. 10, 1956	Menan Schriewer	Chicago Bears	Offensive End

Bud McFadin was one of the greatest offensive linemen Texas ever had and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He was not quite as good at the next level but was still an elite player, being the fifth Longhorn to make an All-Pro team.

Harley Sewell also made an All-Pro as a guard, however he was a college linebacker. Still, the Lions confidently drafted him to play 'pull-side' guard in the first round, which paid off.

Hall of Famer Bobby Dillon was drafted in the third round of the 1952 draft, perhaps doubted because of his glass eye that he had a result of multiple childhood accidents.

1960's

Overall Pick/Year	Name	Team	Position
No. 4, 1964	Scott Appleton	Dallas Cowboys	Defensive Tackle
No. 1, 1966	Tommy Nobis	Atlanta Falcons	Linebackers

Nobis was the first player to ever be drafted by the expansion Atlanta Falcons and racked up 249 tackles in his first season with the team, earning his first of five Pro-Bowl nods.

Though Scott Appleton was drafted by the Cowboys, he was already promised to be traded to the Pittsburgh in exchange for receiver Buddy Dial. He ended up not playing for the Steelers either, instead signing with the AFL's Houston Oilers.

Tommy Nobis is one of the best Longhorns to ever play in the NFL and is generally considered one of the greatest NFL players to not make the Hall of Fame.

1970's

Houston Oilers running back Earl Campbell in action against the Seattle Seahawks | Darryl Norenberg-Imagn Images

Overall Pick/Year	Name	Team	Position
No. 21, 1970	Bob McKay	Cleveland Browns	Offensive Tackle
No. 3, 1973	Jerry Sisemore	Philadelphia Eagles	Offensive Tackle
No. 16, 1977	Raymond Claborn	New England Patriots	Defensive Back
No. 1, 1978	Earl Campbell	Houston Oilers	Running Back
No. 11, 1979	Russell Erxleben	New Orleans Saints	Kicker/Punter

Earl Campbell was the second Longhorn ever taken first overall and remains the only one to win MVP. He is an NFL Hall of Famer and is generally considered the greatest Longhorn to ever play professional football.

Raymond Claborn was no slouch either, playing 15 seasons in the NFL and making three Pro-Bowls.

Russell Erxleben remains the highest-ever drafted punter and second-highest drafted kicker in NFL history, though he is considered a bust as he never lived up to his first-round billing.

1980's

Overall Pick/Year	Name	Team	Position
No. 2, 1980	Lam Jones	New York Jets	Wide Receiver
No. 17, 1980	Jonnie Johnson	Los Angeles Rams	Defensive Back
No. 24, 1980	Derrick Hatchett	Baltimore Colts	Defensive Back
No. 1, 1982	Kenneth Sims	New England Patriots	Defensive Tackle
No. 1, 1984	Mossy Cade	San Diego Chargers	Defensive Back
No. 21, 1985	Jerry Gray	Los Angeles Rams	Defensive Back
No. 13, 1989	Eric Metcalf	Cleveland Browns	Running Back

The Longhorns had three players drafted in the first round for the first time in school history in 1980, however it was third-round pick Steve McMichael who ended up carving out the best career, eventually making the Hall of Fame.

Kenneth Sims was the third-ever Longhorn to be taken No. 1, however he did not produce nearly as much as Nobis or Campbell did.

Eric Metcalf was a player who was before his time, possessing a variety of skillsets more akin to the receiving-backs and gadget-guys of the modern day than the bruising backs of the 80's. He is also one of the greatest kick- and punt-returners in league history.

1990's

Overall Pick/Year	Name	Team	Position
No. 9, 1991	Stanley Richard	San Diego Chargers	Defensive Back
No. 22, 1991	Stan Thomas	Chicago Bears	Offensive Tackle
No. 29, 1995	Blake Brockermeyer	Carolina Panthers	Offensive Tackle
No. 5, 1997	Bryant Westbrook	Detroit Lions	Defensive Back
No. 5, 1999	Ricky Williams	New Orleans Saints	Running Back

While Ricky Williams is not the highest-drafted Longhorn ever, he might be the most expensive in terms of draft capital. The New Orleans Saints traded an unprecedented eight picks, including two firsts and two thirds, to move up to No. 5 and select the Heisman-winner.

The trade did not payoff, however Williams still carved out a very productive career in New Orleans and eventually Miami.

Blake Brockermeyer managed to fight through injuries and being a salary-cap-casualty to put together a solid career, starting in 103 games across nine seasons.

2000's

Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young scores a touchdown as Kevin Mawae looks on during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers | JAE S. LEE / STAFF, THE TENNESSEAN

Overall Pick/Year	Name	Team	Position
No. 2, 2001	Leonard Davis	Arizona Cardinals	Tackle
No. 19, 2001	Casey Hampton	Pittsburgh Steelers	Defensive Tackle
No. 4, 2002	Mike Williams	Buffalo Bills	Tackle
No. 5, 2002	Quentin Jammer	San Diego Chargers	Defensive Back
No. 7, 2004	Roy Williams	Detroit Lions	Wide Receiver
No. 23, 2004	Marcus Tubbs	Seattle Seahawks	Defensive Tackle
No. 4, 2005	Cedric Benson	Cincinatti Bengals	Running Back
No. 15, 2005	Derrick Johnson	Kansas City Chiefs	Linebacker
No. 3, 2006	Vince Young	Tennessee Titans	Quarterback
No. 7, 2006	Michael Huff	Oakland Raiders	Defensive Back
No. 19, 2007	Michael Griffin	Tennessee Titans	Defensive Back
No. 20, 2007	Aaron Ross	New York Giants	Defensive Back
No. 13, 2009	Brian Orakpo	Washington Redskins	Linebacker

Texas was an absolute factory under head coach Mack Brown, putting out 13 first rounders, seven of whom were top-seven picks. Multiple Longhorns were selected in the first-round in six out of 10 years.

Brown's Longhorns were also very productive in the NFL, as 11 of them made at least one All-Pro team in the NFL.

The biggest name in this group is Vince Young, whose turbulent NFL career showed early promise but was marred by personal tragedy and poor coaching.

2010's

Overall Pick/Year	Name	Team	Position
No. 14, 2010	Earl Thomas	Seattle Seahawks	Defensive Back
No. 15, 2013	Kenny Vaccaro	New Orleans Saints	Defensive Back
No. 32, 2015	Malcolm Brown	New England Patriots	Defensive Tackle

The Brown-era faded after 2009 and Texas struggled through the reigns of Charlie Strong and Tom Herman.

Earl Thomas was an era-defining player who served as part of the bedrock of the 'Legion of Boom,' which took the Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowls, winning one of them.

Kenny Vaccaro and Malcolm Roach will be lost to the sands of time, but both were solid, reliable players for many years.

2020's

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson reacts after catching a touchdown pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Overall Pick/Year	Name	Team	Position
No. 8, 2023	Bijan Robinson	Atlanta Falcons	Running Back
No. 16, 2024	Byron Murphy II	Seattle Seahawks	Defensive Tackle
No. 28, 2024	Xavier Worthy	Kansas City Chiefs	Wide Receiver
No. 9, 2025	Kelvin Banks Jr.	New Orleans Saints	Offensive Tackle
No. 20, 2025	Jahdae Barron	Denver Broncos	Defensive Back
No. 23, 2025	Matthew Golden	Green Bay Packers	Wide ReceiverTh

Texas' draft track-record has improved since hiring Steve Sarkisian, despite no Longhorns being selected in the 2022 Draft.

Bijan Robinson has already made an All-Pro team and Byron Murphy II was a key part of the Seahawks' Super Bowl victory earlier this year.

None of their first-round counterparts have made quite that impact yet, however all of them remain on their original team and have the potential to be incredible players.

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