Texas is Quietly Becoming One of College Football's Best NFL Factories

The Texas Longhorns have slowly risen back to the top of college football since Steve Sarkisian took over the program in 2021. Last year may have yielded a disappointing result with the team missing the College Football Playoff, but Sarkisian has assembled a talented roster for 2026.

Obviously, one of the main goals for collegiate football players is to move on to the NFL. It's a significant selling point to high school recruits and transfer portal players looking to take their game to the next level.

Texas has historically been a place where players could accomplish that, but lately, the Longhorns have quietly been taking more players to the NFL than people realize.

Sarkisian Gets Players to the NFL at a High Rate

Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson tuns for a touchdown. | USA TODAY Sports

In 2025, Texas had 12 players drafted, only trailing Georgia and Ohio State. They had three players drafted in the first round: Kelvin Banks Jr (New Orleans Saints), Jahdae Barron (Denver Broncos), and Matthew Golden (Green Bay Packers).

In fact, from 2023 to 2025, the Longhorns had six players taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. This year's draft didn't see a first-round pick, but six Texas players heard their names called, with Anthony Hill being the highest pick in the second round.

It's a sign that Sarkisian is seeking out and developing players who are NFL-caliber and bringing them into the program. As mentioned earlier, it's a fantastic selling point to recruits. If they can envision a career beyond college, Austin, Texas is the place to be, and it gives Sarkisian a massive recruiting advantage.

If you look across the league, some of the top players at each position played at Texas. Bijan Robinson is an All-Pro talent, and wide receivers like Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, and Golden are carving out roles.

On the defensive side, DeMarvion Overshown is a rising star with the Dallas Cowboys, and Byron Murphy won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. Of course, what these players do at Texas is important. But being able to represent the university on football's biggest stages sets up the program well for the future.

On this year's roster, there are plenty of players who could get drafted next season. Scouts will have their eyes on quarterback Arch Manning, offensive lineman Trevor Goosby, defensive end Colin Simmons, and many others.

The Longhorns are operating like a professional team at the collegiate level. Sarkisian has done an excellent job of setting his players up for success in the present and the future.

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