Texas Longhorns Wing Featured in Way-Too-Early 2026 NBA Mock Draft

The Texas Longhorns have not had NBA draft picks in back-to-back years since 2018-19. After Tre Johnson was selected No. 6 in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Longhorns will have an opportunity to break that drought in 2026.

Texas has one player in ESPN draft analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo's 2026 NBA mock draft released on June 27, only a day after the 2025 draft concluded.

That player is Dailyn Swain, who sits at No. 36 in the article, meaning he's currently projected as a high second-rounder. This offseason, Swain followed head coach Sean Miller to Austin after two years with him at Xavier.

What is Swain's skillset? What are Miller's expectations for him at Texas?

In the 2024-25 season, Swain started 33 out of 34 games for the Muskeeters, averaging 11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals in 28.4 minutes per game. His season-best performance came against Illinois in the 1st Round of the NCAA Tournament, when he dropped 27 points on 58.8 percent shooting in an 86-73 loss.

Swain thrives as a two-way wing. At 6'8, he is more than able to match up against various positions defensively and shines downhill as a contact finisher offensively.

"He does a lot of different things -- his rise on the court stems from his versatility," Miller said to college basketball insider Jon Rothstein on May 22. "Some of it is that Dailyn has a great attitude, he's very intelligent, and plays the game to win it. And I think when you are rooted in that right there, it allows you to continue to improve."

The most important place of improvement for Swain is his outside shooting. Swain shot 25.0 percent from three in his sophomore year, a progression from his 15.4 percent in his freshman year. However, that will obviously not cut it when it comes to being an NBA prospect.

"Everybody is looking at his shooting, and I definitely believe he can make a jump this season in taking more threes and making more," Miller said in his interview with Rothstein. "If you look at his free throw percentage, he's one of the leading free throw shooters in the Big East last year from start to finish. I think that's a really good sign of things to come for him as he continues to expand his game."

NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock views Swain's outside shooting as his swing skill but calls him an intriguing prospect who's "likely just scratching the surface of what he will become."

While Givony and Woo have Swain in their 2026 mock, there is, of course, a chance he stays two years at Texas before transitioning to the NBA. Only turning 20 in July, spending four years in college would allow Swain to continue polishing his offensive game while further displaying his defensive impact.

The Longhorns' summer session is in progress, with preparation for the Nov. 4 opener against Duke in the Dike Vitale Invitational underway. Swain, who was Texas's first transfer pickup of this cycle, will be a vital piece to Miller's first year at the helm in Austin.