Projecting Roles For The Newest Longhorns in The NFL

With initial 53-man rosters submitted, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian can officially add seven more names to his NFL track record. All six Longhorns drafted in April made their final cut, and one more undrafted free agent was able to make a week-one roster.

Current NFL players drafted under Sarkisian include the likes of Super Bowl champions Byron Murphy II and Moro Ojomo and All-Pro Bijan Robinson, so how will this class perform?

Here is the projected role for every rookie Longhorn.

How Every Rookie Longhorn Fits In

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ethan Burke during practice | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Anthony Hill Jr. - Linebacker (Titans, Pick 60)

New head coach Robert Saleh has coached some of the game's best linebackers over his 20 years in the NFL, and Anthony Hill Jr. is his latest protégé. The former five-star has displayed plenty of athleticism this fall but needs to improve his consistency and leadership before he can unseat veteran starters Cedric Gray and Cody Barton.

Hill got his first taste of relaying signals as the MIKE linebacker in the Titans' final preseason game against the Bears, indicating that Saleh is grooming him to take that role in the future. For now, he figures to be involved in the WILL linebacker rotation and will get a shot to be a full-time starter after Barton and Gray's contracts expire in 2028.

Anthony Hill Jr. was the best player on the field in Seahawks vs. Titans pic.twitter.com/nKcl1cgYnj
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) August 24, 2026

Malik Muhammad - Cornerback (Bears, Pick 124)

Malik Muhammad was initially projected to be Chicago's third outside cornerback, a position he took 89% of his collegiate snaps at. However, due to injuries to Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Jones, Muhammad is now expected to take over the Bears' slot-corner spot, where he spent just 2% of his collegiate snaps.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is throwing his rookie out of the frying pan and into the fire, and how Muhammad responds will determine much of his early NFL career. If the wiry corner struggles closer to the line of scrimmage, he will probably spend the rest of his career as an outside-depth piece; if he excels, he could carve out a long career as a starting nickel back.

Trey Moore - Linebacker (Dolphins, Pick 130)

Miami Dolphins edge Trey Moore looks on during practice at Baptist Health Training Complex | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Trey Moore was a career edge rusher before playing a majority of his snaps off the ball in his final season at Texas. After being drafted to Miami, questions remained around whether he would be used more as a sub-package rusher or off-ball linebacker.

Unfortunately, due to an ankle injury, Dolphins fans will not get an answer to that question until late into the regular season. Once he does come back, his role will likely depend on the rest of the team's personnel, though his best skill is rushing the passer.

Michael Taaffe - Safety (Dolphins, Pick 158)

The second of three Longhorns drafted by Miami this year, Taaffe has had a quiet training camp. While there was some optimism that he could rise above the chaff when lone starting safety Dante Trader Jr. suffered an injury early in August, he did not manage to stand out.

Going forward, Taaffe can expect to be a rotational piece in Miami's backend, though he should have plenty of opportunities to matriculate up the depth chart.

DJ Campbell - Guard (Dolphins, Pick 200)

Miami Dolphins guard DJ Campbell douses water over his head during practice | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

DJ Campbell also had a quiet training camp but has impressed over the last two weeks of the preseason. He sits behind sophomore Jonah Savaiinaea and fellow rookie Kadyn Proctor, who were selected with the 37th and 12th picks in their respective drafts.

Campbell is unlikely to unseat either but should have first dibs on their spots should either go down. He will likely remain a depth lineman for the bulk of his career.

DJ Campbell Finding Work 💪 pic.twitter.com/LcsINMEcWs
— eric smith (@OLCoachSmith63) August 30, 2026

Jack Endries - Tight End (Bengals, Pick 221)

Jack Endries was kept as one of the Bengals' five tight ends, an unusually high number for the position. This gives him little chance to see the field this season; however, their decision to keep him in spite of having other options suggests that they have plans for him going forward.

Veterans Mike Gesicki and Drew Sample have both crossed the 30-year mark, so Endries could be cracking three-tight-end sets by the start of his second year. From there, it is not outside the realm of possibility that he earns a starting role.

Ethan Burke - Edge Rusher (Ravens, UDFA)

Ethan Burke was not invited to the Combine or selected in the Draft, but he still made his way onto an NFL roster. He finds himself at the bottom of the edge rusher room behind veterans Trey Hendrickson and Tavius Robinson, sophomore Mike Green and second-round pick Zion Young.

Burke offers more run defense than most of those names and should find himself on the field for goal-line packages and special teams work.

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