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2024 NFL DRAFT


LTtxfan

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Spider2YBanana said:

Yep. Read an article the other day saying the Lions drafted the wrong Tennessee QB. I was baffled because his only argument was age, not production. He didn't even pretend that Goff could get hurt, he basically just made the argument that by the time Goff's contract is up Hooker will be 30 and out of a job (which wholly untrue), and Milton would be younger. Never mind that Milton is terrible, but he made the argument that he's mobile (which he didn't show in college. He was a statue) because he ran a 4.55 in the 40. The writer is a moron. 

As a Michigan fan, I remember being completely bought in to the Milton hype out of High School, could throw 70 yards, escape pressure, extend plays. He can do all 3, but he cant hit a 5 yard out, can't hit a slant, cant hit wide open WR down field. All the arm strength in the world doesn't matter if your accuracy is horrible. 

Cade obviously made it easier to swallow when he transferred but I wasn't slightly upset when he left. 

Ill take 30 year old hooker with 3 years in the playbook as a roll of the dice over Hooker 100000000/10000000 times.

 

Edited by Juicy
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1 hour ago, The Dog said:

ew... (warning there is some repetition)

 

 

1 hour ago, Juicy said:

There is no way I would take this guy over JJ. 

And  miss out on the next Sam Howell? 

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Two round mock that shows how some interesting prospects could be available for Houston's second rounders at picks #42 and #59

Also, no T'Vondre Sweat

The ESPN guys don't have Kneeland super high yet

 

1) Caleb Williams

2) Jayden Daniels

3) Drake Maye

4) Marvin Harrison Jr

5) Trade- Minnesota- JJ McCarthy

6) Malik Nabers

7) Joe Alt

'8) Dallas Turner

9) Rome Odunze

10) Brock Bowers

11) Trade- LA Chargers- JC Latham

12) Bo Nix

13) Taliese Fuaga

14) Olu Fashanu

15) Quinyon Mitchell

16) Troy Fautanu

17) Terrion Arnold

18) Brian Thomas Jr

19) Chop Robinson

20) Graham Barton

21) Byron Murphy II

22) Nate Wiggins

23) Trade- LA Chargers- Adonai Mitchell

24) Trade- San Francisco- Amarius Mims

25) Tyler Guyton

26) Laiatu Latu

27) Jared Verse

28) Xavier Worthy

29) Cooper DeJean

30) Kingsley Suamataia

31) Jordan Morgan

32) Ennis Rakestraw Jr

33) Trade- Tennessee- Darius Robinson

34) Xavier Legette

35) Jackson Powers-Johnson

36) Trade- Las Vegas- Michael Penix Jr

37) Zach Frazier

38) Trade- Carolina- Ricky Pearsall

39) TJ Tampa

40) Keon Coleman

41) Edgerrin Cooper

42) Jer'Zhan Newton

43) Kool-Aid McKinstry

44) Patrick Paul

45) Kamari Lassiter

46) Ladd McConkey

47) Max Melton

48) Marshawn Kneeland

49) Roger Rosengarten

50) Payton Wilson

51) Roman Wilson

52) Braden Fiske

53) Cole Bishop

54) Trey Benson

55) Christian Haynes

56) Jonathan Brooks

57) Cooper Beebe

58) Jaden Hicks

59) Malachi Corley

60) Maason Smith

61) Ja'Lynn Polk

62) Adisa Isaac

63) Theo Johnson

64) Troy Franklin

 

https://x.com/FieldYates/status/1775481471416795470?s=20

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1 hour ago, tokamak said:

I don't understand a world in which the Cowboys drafted some useless bum

You mean the last 30 years of Cowboys football?

As for some things here:

Worthy's deep ball tracking (and Ewers' deep throws) improved this past year so no surprise.

Everyone is projecting Maye as being the next Josh Allen - that's a mistake IMHO. Allen was better in every way but was more raw and had to carry a team full of JAGs. When Maye is good he's really good though. 

McCarthy is going WAY higher than he should and is going to have to play right away. When he does any flaws he had that were covered up at Michigan will get exposed quickly. 

I think if the Chiefs and/or Bills really want a WR then I think they will trade up to grab the one they want rather than wait to see what everyone else does. 

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1 hour ago, tokamak said:

I don't understand a world in which the Cowboys drafted some useless bum from Michigan last year at #26 overall but Sweat doesn't go in the top 64 picks.

That was just a terrible reach by the Cowboys. They thought they needed a run stopping NT, so they took him way too early. If Sweat was in the draft last year, Cowboys probably take him there. 
 

Sweat’s problem is he just doesn’t provide much pass rush or pass disruption. In today’s NFL, that’s always going to decrease value. Going in the second as a run stopping NT is still very high. 

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IMG_6286.thumb.jpeg.36ae4d60b8b4263ef4fe385b518e76e8.jpeg
Remember when this was one of the most contentious subjects on the board just a year ago?
image.gif.729c988df38ac3dc5992ad09e301e47c.gif

Interestingly enough the highest completion to Worthy on deep throws (20+ yards) was in 2021 at 33%. This year was 26%. And 20% in 2022.

But I certainly ‘member as you do.
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1 hour ago, satyanash said:

Sanders is no longer the consensus TE2 in the draft... combine performance hurt him badly.

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Sanders' pro day didn't help him either. 

He's going to get drafted but his stock took a big hit.

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59 minutes ago, The Dog said:

Sanders' pro day didn't help him either. 

He's going to get drafted but his stock took a big hit.

Yeah. The 8 bench reps at his size was shockingly bad at the combine and he wasn’t particularly fast either. I think he was generally considered a R2 guy before the testing; I can’t imagine he’s selected before round 3 at this point, and he may go lower than that.

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17 hours ago, TexEx15 said:

RE: Sanders I hope he proves his testing numbers wrong. They were ugly but the tape doesn’t lie. When the pads come on he passes the eye test. Could be a steal for some team.

Need Brock Bowers to go in Top 10 to improve Ja'Tavion's value maybe??

Jets rumored to take Bowers at #10 if he's still available...

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In his top 100

16) Murphy

33) Mitchell

48) Brooks

50) Worthy

57) Sanders

 

Positional Rankings with his round grades

Brooks- RB1- 2nd/3rd round

Robinson- RB27- FA

Mitchell- WR6- 1st/2nd

Worthy- WR10- 2nd/3rd

Whittington- WR36- 7th/FA

Sanders- TE2- 2nd/3rd

Jones- OT13- 4th

Murphy- DT1- 1st

Sweat- DT10- 4th

Ford- LB13- 5th/6th

Watts- S20- 6th/7th

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Here's his writeup on Sweat

Spoiler

10. T’VONDRE SWEAT | Texas 6044 | 366 lbs. | 5SR Huntsville, Texas (Huntsville) 7/11/2001 (age 22.79) #93

BACKGROUND: T’Vondre (tuh-VOHN-dray) “Tee” Sweat (SWET) was born in Huntsville (70 miles north of Houston), then grew up with his mother (Lashunda Ross) in her hometown of Houston. He got started in flag football at age 5, then played tackle football at age 7 for the 4th Ward Cowboys and Cardinals. Almost always the biggest kid in his class growing up, he also spent a lot of time playing basketball at the YMCA throughout his childhood. For high school, Sweat moved back to Huntsville and attended Huntsville High School, where he was a three-year varsity letterman on the football team (primarily at defensive end). After earning first team All-District honors as a sophomore, he recorded 53 tackles and 3.0 sacks as a junior, helping Huntsville to an 8 -2 record and the 2017 district title. As a senior, Sweat led Huntsville to a 12-win season and the regional playoff semifinals (for the first time since 1991), falling in a close game to Fort Bend Marshall (Devon Achane had five touchdowns in the game for Marshall). Sweat earned first team All-State and District MVP honors in 2018. He also played center on the basketball team.

A three-star recruit, Sweat was the No. 45 defensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class and the No. 74 recruit in Texas. Before his junior season started, he had already put together an impressive offer sheet that included Baylor, Houston, SMU and Texas A&M. After his junior season, Sweat added offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Looking to stay close to home (Sweat: “I’m a momma’s boy.”), he committed to Longhorns head coach Tom Herman and was the No. 17 recruit in the Longhorns’ 2019 class (enrolled at 320 pounds). Sweat took advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted because of the pandemic and returned to Austin for a fifth season in 2023 (Sweat: “I still had a lot to prove. I came back to win a natty.”).

Two of his brothers also played football at Huntsville and in college: T.J. Sweat (Texas Permian Basin, Tarleton State) and Latel Sweat (Wayland Baptist). His college roommate was running back Jonathon Brooks (they call themselves the ”Eastview Boys”). Sweat graduated from Texas with his degree (May 2023). He wears a massive chain that reads “Make ‘em Sweat.” He accepted his invitation to the 2024 Senior Bowl.

YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT NOTES 2019: (13/0) 9 1.0 1.0 0 2 0 Enrolled in June 2019 2020: (10/0) 22 4.0 1.0 1 1 0 Pandemic-shortened season 2021: (12/0) 22 2.0 1.0 0 3 0 2022: (13/9) 30 2.5 0.0 0 4 0 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 2023: (14/8) 45 8.0 2.0 0 4 0 Unanimous All-American; Outland Trophy; Big 12 Def. POY; First Team All-Big 12; 2-yd TD catch; Blocked PAT Total: (62/17) 128 17.5 5.0 1 14 0 HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP COMBINE 6044 366 10 1/8 33 1/4 81 1/4 5.27 3.03 1.80 26 8’2” - - - (no shuttle, 3-cone, bench press — choice) PRO DAY 6047 367 10 1/4 33 1/4 81 1/4 - - - - - - - - (skill drills only — choice)

STRENGTHS: Massive body type with proportionate thickness, long arms and big hands … displays grown-man strength to bully blockers into the lap of the quarterback … flashes pop and power in his hands to swipe down blockers or put them on their backside (NFL scout: “ Did you see the new Mario movie? When Donkey Kong pounds the snot out of Mario? It gave me flashbacks of Sweat’s film.”) … surprising quickness for his size with range to make plays downfield and at the numbers … even when his base gets narrow, he can hold his ground versus double teams… has a knack for finding passing lanes (17 batted throws in his career; six in 2023) … played eight career snaps on offense, including a 2-yard touchdown in the 2023 Big 12 championship game … has always been known for his smile and funloving attitude but adopted more of a locked-in mentality in 2023 (without losing his playful personality) … improved effort as a senior and benefited from the experience of defensive line coach Bo Davis, who previously coached with the Detroit Lions (2018-20) … leans on a close bond with his mother (“Without that woman, I wouldn’t be able to do a lot of things.”) … career bests in production in 2023, including his first blocked kick (extra-point attempt that was returned for two points).

WEAKNESSES: Must keep his weight under control (NFL scouts say he played the 2023 season at “380ish” pounds) … high-cut and tends to play tall out of his stance … average get-off leads to early stalls … pass-rush skills are a work in progress and needs to develop move-to-move transitions … more consistent hand placement will reduce missed tackles … showed improved conditioning in his final season but was kept fresh (35.9 snaps per game) … improved maturity during the 2023 season but was labeled a “party animal” and “class clown” as an underclassman by NFL scouts, who also questioned his commitment to becoming the best player he could be … converted some doubters after adopting more of a professional mentality in 2023 but was arrested and charged with DWI, just weeks before the draft (April 2024).

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Texas, Sweat was a mountain on the interior in former defensive coordinator Jeff Choate’s scheme. Known for immature tendencies as an underclassman, he returned for his super senior season in 2023 and made several key changes (on and off the field) that elevated the defense (first Texas player to win the Outland Trophy since 1977). With his powerful base, Sweat refuses to be moved and effortlessly controls the point of attack before shedding with urgency and range to finish. As a pass rusher, his hands and feet need to be more consistently synced up, but he can create knockback and collapse the pocket. Overall, Sweat must continue turning the brilliant flashes intomore consistency, but he is a rare athlete for his size, with the power and ingredients to be a dominant force against the run. Though he has the traits to become an impactful NFL starter, he needs to stay conditioned and locked in to reach his potential.

GRADE: 4th Round

 

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Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, Fud said:

Here's his writeup on Sweat

  Hide contents

10. T’VONDRE SWEAT | Texas 6044 | 366 lbs. | 5SR Huntsville, Texas (Huntsville) 7/11/2001 (age 22.79) #93

BACKGROUND: T’Vondre (tuh-VOHN-dray) “Tee” Sweat (SWET) was born in Huntsville (70 miles north of Houston), then grew up with his mother (Lashunda Ross) in her hometown of Houston. He got started in flag football at age 5, then played tackle football at age 7 for the 4th Ward Cowboys and Cardinals. Almost always the biggest kid in his class growing up, he also spent a lot of time playing basketball at the YMCA throughout his childhood. For high school, Sweat moved back to Huntsville and attended Huntsville High School, where he was a three-year varsity letterman on the football team (primarily at defensive end). After earning first team All-District honors as a sophomore, he recorded 53 tackles and 3.0 sacks as a junior, helping Huntsville to an 8 -2 record and the 2017 district title. As a senior, Sweat led Huntsville to a 12-win season and the regional playoff semifinals (for the first time since 1991), falling in a close game to Fort Bend Marshall (Devon Achane had five touchdowns in the game for Marshall). Sweat earned first team All-State and District MVP honors in 2018. He also played center on the basketball team.

A three-star recruit, Sweat was the No. 45 defensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class and the No. 74 recruit in Texas. Before his junior season started, he had already put together an impressive offer sheet that included Baylor, Houston, SMU and Texas A&M. After his junior season, Sweat added offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Looking to stay close to home (Sweat: “I’m a momma’s boy.”), he committed to Longhorns head coach Tom Herman and was the No. 17 recruit in the Longhorns’ 2019 class (enrolled at 320 pounds). Sweat took advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted because of the pandemic and returned to Austin for a fifth season in 2023 (Sweat: “I still had a lot to prove. I came back to win a natty.”).

Two of his brothers also played football at Huntsville and in college: T.J. Sweat (Texas Permian Basin, Tarleton State) and Latel Sweat (Wayland Baptist). His college roommate was running back Jonathon Brooks (they call themselves the ”Eastview Boys”). Sweat graduated from Texas with his degree (May 2023). He wears a massive chain that reads “Make ‘em Sweat.” He accepted his invitation to the 2024 Senior Bowl.

YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT NOTES 2019: (13/0) 9 1.0 1.0 0 2 0 Enrolled in June 2019 2020: (10/0) 22 4.0 1.0 1 1 0 Pandemic-shortened season 2021: (12/0) 22 2.0 1.0 0 3 0 2022: (13/9) 30 2.5 0.0 0 4 0 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 2023: (14/8) 45 8.0 2.0 0 4 0 Unanimous All-American; Outland Trophy; Big 12 Def. POY; First Team All-Big 12; 2-yd TD catch; Blocked PAT Total: (62/17) 128 17.5 5.0 1 14 0 HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP COMBINE 6044 366 10 1/8 33 1/4 81 1/4 5.27 3.03 1.80 26 8’2” - - - (no shuttle, 3-cone, bench press — choice) PRO DAY 6047 367 10 1/4 33 1/4 81 1/4 - - - - - - - - (skill drills only — choice)

STRENGTHS: Massive body type with proportionate thickness, long arms and big hands … displays grown-man strength to bully blockers into the lap of the quarterback … flashes pop and power in his hands to swipe down blockers or put them on their backside (NFL scout: “ Did you see the new Mario movie? When Donkey Kong pounds the snot out of Mario? It gave me flashbacks of Sweat’s film.”) … surprising quickness for his size with range to make plays downfield and at the numbers … even when his base gets narrow, he can hold his ground versus double teams… has a knack for finding passing lanes (17 batted throws in his career; six in 2023) … played eight career snaps on offense, including a 2-yard touchdown in the 2023 Big 12 championship game … has always been known for his smile and funloving attitude but adopted more of a locked-in mentality in 2023 (without losing his playful personality) … improved effort as a senior and benefited from the experience of defensive line coach Bo Davis, who previously coached with the Detroit Lions (2018-20) … leans on a close bond with his mother (“Without that woman, I wouldn’t be able to do a lot of things.”) … career bests in production in 2023, including his first blocked kick (extra-point attempt that was returned for two points).

WEAKNESSES: Must keep his weight under control (NFL scouts say he played the 2023 season at “380ish” pounds) … high-cut and tends to play tall out of his stance … average get-off leads to early stalls … pass-rush skills are a work in progress and needs to develop move-to-move transitions … more consistent hand placement will reduce missed tackles … showed improved conditioning in his final season but was kept fresh (35.9 snaps per game) … improved maturity during the 2023 season but was labeled a “party animal” and “class clown” as an underclassman by NFL scouts, who also questioned his commitment to becoming the best player he could be … converted some doubters after adopting more of a professional mentality in 2023 but was arrested and charged with DWI, just weeks before the draft (April 2024).

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Texas, Sweat was a mountain on the interior in former defensive coordinator Jeff Choate’s scheme. Known for immature tendencies as an underclassman, he returned for his super senior season in 2023 and made several key changes (on and off the field) that elevated the defense (first Texas player to win the Outland Trophy since 1977). With his powerful base, Sweat refuses to be moved and effortlessly controls the point of attack before shedding with urgency and range to finish. As a pass rusher, his hands and feet need to be more consistently synced up, but he can create knockback and collapse the pocket. Overall, Sweat must continue turning the brilliant flashes intomore consistency, but he is a rare athlete for his size, with the power and ingredients to be a dominant force against the run. Though he has the traits to become an impactful NFL starter, he needs to stay conditioned and locked in to reach his potential.

GRADE: 4th Round

 

GRADE: 4th Round

Yeah, I'm worried TSweat moved to Day 3 as well.  Maybe he still goes in Rd 3. 

Without the DWI arrest, TSweat likely would have gone in Rd 2.

Edited by LTtxfan
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Just now, LTtxfan said:

Yeah, I'm worried TSweat moved to Day 3 as well.  Maybe he still goes in Rd 3. 

Without the DWI arrest, TSweat likely would have gone in Rd 2.

I bet Sweat and Worthy go higher than his rating. He's fading their success over time, but the NFL likes to draft rare traits 

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2 minutes ago, Fud said:

I bet Sweat and Worthy go higher than his rating. He's fading their success over time, but the NFL likes to draft rare traits 

Yeah, Worthy keeps popping up in Rd 1 mocks.  Hopefully Sweat still goes on Day 2

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4 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

I don't see how Worthy slips to the 3rd round. I don't see how Sanders is still taken in the 2nd. And I don't see Sweat slipping to the 4th even with his DUI. But wtf do I know...

Those are just his grades, not where he predicts where players will go

I think Worthy could sneak into the late first, and I think Sanders and Sweat could still go in the 2nd 

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48 minutes ago, Fud said:

Those are just his grades, not where he predicts where players will go

I think Worthy could sneak into the late first, and I think Sanders and Sweat could still go in the 2nd 

Yeah, but there is no way in hell Worthy is the 10th best WR on the board grade wise. That is just a dumb eval.. again. 

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10 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

Yeah, but there is no way in hell Worthy is the 10th best WR on the board grade wise. That is just a dumb eval.. again. 

If I'm picking his side, one of the most common draft bust archetypes is track speed WR going in the first round, and Worthy weighing only 165 doesn't help his cause 

I think Worthy, even with the issues I think he has (drops at times, tracking issues at times), is much more than that. I'd probably have him over Coleman and Wilson, although I really like Pearsall. I think something like 7th or 8th is more fair. 

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2 hours ago, Fud said:

If I'm picking his side, one of the most common draft bust archetypes is track speed WR going in the first round, and Worthy weighing only 165 doesn't help his cause 

I think Worthy, even with the issues I think he has (drops at times, tracking issues at times), is much more than that. I'd probably have him over Coleman and Wilson, although I really like Pearsall. I think something like 7th or 8th is more fair. 

He ought to be even faster playing  in the NFL and weighing 165 lbs. 😉

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3 hours ago, Fud said:

If I'm picking his side, one of the most common draft bust archetypes is track speed WR going in the first round, and Worthy weighing only 165 doesn't help his cause 

I think Worthy, even with the issues I think he has (drops at times, tracking issues at times), is much more than that. I'd probably have him over Coleman and Wilson, although I really like Pearsall. I think something like 7th or 8th is more fair. 

I think you are vastly underestimating the value he brings in being able to get open on damn near every play unless he is triple covered. His acceleration and deceleration is elite, along with his lateral cutting ability. Straight line speed is an afterthought when I think about how he will perform at the next level. To me, he profiles as someone similar to Marvin Harrison. 

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4 hours ago, Fud said:

Those are just his grades, not where he predicts where players will go

I think Worthy could sneak into the late first, and I think Sanders and Sweat could still go in the 2nd 

You follow the draft way more than I do, so I'll trust your takes here. That said, I'd assumed both Sanders and Sweat would be punished by 1-2 rounds each for their respective issues this spring. Not that I was thinking that would make sense, but thinking it nonetheless.

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I thought the background bio stuff on Texas's prospects in Brugler's guide was good

Spoiler

BACKGROUND: Jonathon Brooks, who has an older brother, grew up in Hallettsville (90 miles south of Austin). His father (James “Skip” Brooks) died in March 2022, at age 49, after a kidney transplant and years of dialysis (Jonathon has the date of his father’s death tattooed on his right forearm). Brooks was introduced to footbal l at age 5, and it didn’t take long before he made a name for himself at the youth level in his small town (population of fewer than 3,000). He attended Hallettsville High School and played a few games on JV before moving up to varsity as a freshman. After earning All-District honors with 823 rushing yards as a sophomore, Brooks had a breakout junior season in 2019 with 1,310 rushing yards on 138 carries (9.5 average) and 24 touchdowns, as he led the team to an 11-3 record and a spot in the 3A state playoff quarterfinals. He earned second team All-State and was named district MVP, adding 233 receiving yards, while also playing defense and handling punting duties (second team All-State as a punter). As a senior, Brooks had a record-breaking season with 3,530 rushing yards (seventh most in state history) on 295 carries (12.0 average) and 70 total touchdowns (secondmost in state history). He accounted for 4,054 all-purpose yards and intercepted a pair of passes. Brooks was named first team All-State and led Hallettsville to a 13-3 record in 2020 and the program’s first appearance in the state championship game (Hallettsville lost by one point in overtime, 29-28). He finished with 6,637 rushing yards in his career and returned to the school in October 2023 to have his No. 25 jersey retired — the first number retired in Hallettsville’s history. Brooks also lettered in basketball and track (sprints and relays), setting a personal best in the 200 meters at 23.86 seconds.

A four-star recruit, Brooks was the No. 24 running back in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 51 recruit in Texas. Playing 3A football, it took time before he was recognized as one of the better recruits in the state. But that all changed towards the end of his junior season when he received his first Division I scholarship offer (Texas). He later added offers from Texas Tech and several Group of 5 programs (Colorado State, Louisiana, Texas State and UTSA). He wanted an offer from Texas A&M, but the staff there supposedly thought he was “too small.” In May 2020, prior to his senior season, he officially committed to Texas. However, coach Tom Herman was fired in January 2021, just two weeks after Brooks officially signed. Brooks stayed committed to the program and was the No. 9 recruit in new coach Steve Sarkisian’s first class in Austin. Prior to the 2023 season, CJ Baxter was named the Longhorns’ starter, but Brooks ove rtook him early in the season. Despite tearing his ACL midway through his third season, Brooks elected to skip his senior season and enter the 2024 NFL Draft. He didn’t participate at the East-West Shrine Bowl because of his injury, but he was present to interview with NFL teams.

BACKGROUND: Keilan (KEE-lan) Robinson grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. He started playing football at the pee-wee level, and his love for the sport grew from there. Robinson attended St. John’s College High School, a Catholic school in Washington D.C., where he was teammates with se veral future FBS players (including WR Rakim Jarrett and LB Terrell Lewis). Robinson was a four-year letterman on varsity and led St. John’s to back-to-back conference titles his junior and senior seasons. After earning honorable mention All-Metro honors as a junior, he was named first team All-USA Today as a senior.

A four-star recruit, Robinson was the No. 16 running back in the 2019 recruiting class (five spots ahead of Breece Hall) and the No. 2 recruit in Washington, D.C. He garnered recruiting attention as a freshman at St. John’s and received his first offer (Maryland) in August 2016. Several Big Ten programs (Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers) offered him throughout his sophomore year. After his junior season, Robinson picked up an offer from Alabama (February 2018) and committed a few months later. He took a late visit to USC, and he also strongly considered staying home to play for head coach Mike Locksley and Maryland but remaine d with the Crimson Tide. Robinson was the No. 26 recruit (second to last, behind only K Will Reichard) in former head coach Nick Sa ban’s 2019 class.

After seeing backup reps in 2019, he opted out of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic and entered the transfer portal following 2021 spring practices. Robinson decided to follow then-newly hired Steve Sarkisian from Alabama to Texas for his final three college seasons. His older sister (Autumn) ran track at Michigan State (2015-19) and participated in sprints, relays and jumps. Robinson graduated with his degree from Texas (May 2023).

BACKGROUND: Adonai (ADD-an-I) “AD” Mitchell, the youngest of four boys, was born and raised in Missouri City (20 miles southwest of Houston). His mother (Darcy Padgett), a former model, and father (Norman Mitchell), a former stand-up comedian and actor, moved to Houston in 2000 and founded the Bee Busy Wellness Center, a nonprofit organization geared towards low-income individuals and families. In pee-wee and youth football, Mitchell was the kid with the ball in his hands and primarily played quarterback. His older brothers played basketball, but after trying it for two years, Mitchell decided that sport wasn’t for him. He spent his freshman year of high school at Westbury Christian School (a private school in Houston), and the coaches kept him at quarterb ack. To raise his recruiting profile, Mitchell transferred to Ridge Point High School (class 6A school in Fort Bend County) prior to his sophomore season and moved to wide receiver. As a junior in 2018, he earned second team All-District honors with 25 receptions for 378 yards and nine offensive touchdowns (five rushing, three receiving, one passing). He helped Ridge Point to a 10-2 record and the 2018 district championship. With Mitchell still struggling to garner recruiting attention, his father moved to the Nashville area for a year so his son could train with Buck Fitzgerald at the National Playmakers Academy. Mitchell transferred to Cane Ridge High School in Antioch, Tenn., for his senior season in 2019. After filling in at quarterback for the first three games, he moved back to wide receiver and led the team with 49 catches for 795 yards and 11 touchdowns. Mitchell helped Cane Ridge to a 9-4 record and state playoff appearance, and he was named the 2019 Region 5 -6A Athlete of the Year.

A four-star recruit, Mitchell was the No. 63 wide receiver in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 10 recruit in Tennessee. He was originally in the 2020 recruiting class but decided to reclassify to the 2021 class and spent the ‘20 season training. After moving to Tennessee for his senior season, Mitchell attended several recruiting camps and received his first FBS offers (Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee). He picked up an offer from Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin in January 2020 and committed a few months later. However, Mitchell continued receiving offers (Auburn and Texas) and taking visits. In July 2020, he flipped his commitment to Georgia and former offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Mitchell enrolled early and was the No. 16 recruit in head coach Kirby Smart’s 2021 class (top receiver in the class). His daughter (Icylinn) was born in the summer of 2021, and Mitchell’s parents have been raising her while Mitchell has been i n school. After two national championships in two seasons in Athens, Mitchell entered the portal with the intention of moving closer to his daughter, and he transferred to Texas — a two-hour car ride away. After one season in Austin, Mitchell elected to skip his senior season and enter the 2024 NFL Draft

BACKGROUND: Xavier (x-ZAY-vee-er) “Zay” Worthy, who has two younger sisters, grew up in Fresno. He was always playing sports throughout childhood, including basketball, soccer, track and cross country (finished first at the district championship meet in sixth grade). He started playing football in the Edison youth football league and separated himself as the smallest but fastest player. Worthy attended Central East High School in Fresno and saw varsity reps as a 140-pound freshman receiver. He suffered a strained hip flexor as a sophomore and missed most of the season, finishing 2018 with 10 catches for 259 yards (25.9 average) and three touchdowns. Finally healthy as a junior, Worthy had his breakout season and led Central East to an undefeated 15 -0 record and the 2019 1-AA state championship (first state title in school history). He finished his junior season with 55 receptions for 992 yards (18.4 average) and 16 touchdowns. His senior season was cancelled because of the pandemic. Since Central East didn’t allow seniors to graduate early, Worthy reclassified and enrolled with the ALVS (Apex Learning Virtual School) program, which allowed him to take online courses in the fall of 2020 and complete his high school degree. Worthy also ran track at Central East and made headlines by posting a 10.55-second 100-meter dash as a sophomore. (He had goals of reaching a 10.1, but his junior track season was cancelled because of the pandemic, and he didn’t run as a senior). He also posted personal bests of 21.41 seconds in the 200 meters, 51.76 in the 400 and 22 feet, 2 inches in the long jump.

A four-star recruit, Worthy was the No. 13 wide receiver in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 8 recruit in California. He received his first scholarship offer, from San Jose State, during his sophomore season, but his recruitment exploded during his breakout junior year. Worthy picked up offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Oregon, Penn State and Texas A&M — but he was drawn to Michigan and former offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and committed to the Wolverines in July 2020. Worthy planned to enroll in January 2021 with other early enrollees, like quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but issues arose for him related to Michigan’s academic requirements, and it was suggested he wait until June to enroll. Worthy still moved into an apartment in Ann Arbor in January of that year so he could be close to the program, but he wasn’t permitted to work out at the school’s facilities. After a month, he moved back home and started looking at other options. (Worthy: “I wanted a fresh start somewhere else.”) During his senior year of high school, Worthy’s other finalist had been Alabama, because of offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian — who in 2021 had been hired as Texas head coach (Worthy: “I liked the way he utilized DeVonta Smith.”). Michigan released Worthy from his letter of intent in April 2021, and Worthy committed to Texas sight unseen. He was the No. 2 recruit in Sarkisian’s first Longhorns class (behind TE Ja’Tavion Sanders). Worthy elected to skip his senior season and enter the 2024 NFL Draft.

BACKGROUND: Jordan Whittington was born and raised in Cuero (a small town 90 miles southeast of San Antonio). His father (Quincey) once l ed Cuero to a football state championship. Whittington started playing football at the pee-wee level. Once he got to middle school and realized he had the talent to go far in the sport, Whittington began taking football seriously, including training with his older brother. He attended Cuero High School and won a starting role on varsity, first at safety and then at receiver, and he earnedfirst team All-District honors on both sides of the ball. As a sophomore in 2016, Whittington was named District MVP with 1,825 all-purpose yards and 22 total touchdowns (12 receiving, four receiving, one passing, two punt returns, one kick return, two interception returns), as he led Cuero to a 13-1 record and the district title. As a junior, Whittington earned first team All-State honors at wide receiver with 73 catches for 1,457 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also earned honorable mention All-State honors at safety with 45 tackles and five interceptions (three returned for touchdowns), adding another touchdown on a punt return.

Whittington missed the first four games of the 2018 season because of a groin injury, but he finished with 1,794 total yards (948 receiving, 846 rushing), including a legendary performance in the state championship game. Lining up as a wildcat quarterback, he set the championship-game record with 334 rushing yards (breaking Eric Dickerson’s 4A record) and six total touchdowns, as Cuero won its first state title in 31 years. Whittington was named the game’s MVP on offense and defense. He earned All-State honors again as a senior and finished his prep career with 60 total touchdowns and more 5,400 all-purpose yards. Whittington also played basketball and ran track (sprints and relays) in high school, setting a personal best of 22.51 seconds in the 200 meters.

A five-star recruit, Whittington was the No. 2 athlete in the 2019 recruiting class and the No. 6 recruit in Texas (three spots behi nd Garrett Wilson). He was ranked No. 34 nationally (sandwiched between QBs Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels). With his older brother as his trainer, Whittington created a workout tape after his freshman season and drew a scholarship offer from Baylor (May 2016). He added eight more offers before his sophomore season even start ed, then picked up several major offers during the 2016 season (Ohio State, Oklahoma and Oregon). Whittington finished with more than 40 offers before he narrowed down his choice to F lorida, Texas, Texas A&M and UCLA. He’d grown up rooting for the Gators but had butterflies about leaving the state and committed t o Texas after his junior season (March 2018). Whittington was the No. 3 recruit in head coach Tom Herman’s 2019 class. Though he signed as a receiver, the coaching staff moved him to running back. He was projected to play a major role as a true freshman but suffered a season-ending injury. Whittington moved back to wide receiver prior to the 2020 season.

BACKGROUND: Ja’Tavion (juh-TAY-vee-on) “JT” Sanders, the oldest of five children (three boys, two girls), grew up in Denton. Raised in an athletic family, he played multiple sports throughout childhood. Sanders attended Billy Ryan High School in Denton and got a taste of varsity action as a freshman (four games), playing both ways as a wide receiver and edge rusher. He was named Defensive Newcomer as a sophomore with 54 tackles, 23.0 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and two int erceptions (one returned for a touchdown). He added 23 catches for 378 yards and five touchdowns. As a junior, Sanders earned All-State honors and was named the 5A Defensive Player of the Year with 39 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks and two forced fumbles. He also finished with 47 receptions for 763 yards and seven touchdowns, helping Denton Ryan to a 15-1 record (only loss came in the 2019 state championship game) and the 2019 district title. As a senior, Sanders played primarily on offense and led Denton Ryan back to the 5A state championship game, where it capped off a perfect 15-0 record with the 2020 state crown. He again earned first team All-State honors and was named the district MVP with 63 catches for 1,161 yards and 16 touchdowns, plusthree rushing touchdowns and 4.0 sacks. Denton Ryan posted a 58-3 record over Sanders’ four prep seasons (all three losses came in the playoffs). Sanders also played basketball in high school.

A five-star recruit, Sanders was the No. 1 athlete in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 3 recruit in Texas (behind QB Quinn Ewers and OT Tommy Brockermeyer). Nationally, he ranked as the No. 13 recruit. After his breakout sophomore season, his recruitment started to gain momentum, with Oklahoma as his first FBS offer, followed by Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Washington and then Georgia. Before his junior season started, Sanders’ offer sheet also i ncluded Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU and Ohio State. He elected to stay closer to home and committed to Texas and head coach Tom Herman during his juni or season. Sanders expected to play defensive end for the Longhorns under Herman, but after Steve Sarkisian was hired in January 2021, Sanders settled in as a tight end in Austin. Sanders was the No. 1 recruit in the Longhorns’ 2021 class (one spot ahead of WR Xavier Worthy). His cousin (Jarvis Moss), who also played at Denton Ryan, was a defensive end at Florida and first-round pick (No. 17) in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Sanders skipped his senior season and entered the 2024 NFL D raft.

BACKGROUND: Christian Jones, who has a younger sister, was born and raised in the Houston area. His family is from Jamaica, and he grew up as a soccer player and diehard fan of the sport (Cristiano Ronaldo and Yaya Toure were his favorite Premier League players). Always the biggest player on the pitch, soccer was Jones’ focus throughout childhood, and he had dreams of playing in college. Jones attended Cypress Woods High School, where he played socc er as a 6-foot-3, 215-pound freshman. After his sophomore season, Jones started to realize his best opportunity at a college scholarship might be in football, and he joined varsity in the spring of 2016 — despite having zero prior experience. As a junior, the coaches started him out on the defensive line, and he posted 17 tackles. As a senior, Jones moved to the offensive line and started at left tackle in 2017, earning first team All-District.

A three-star recruit, Jones was the No. 56 offensive tackle in the 2018 recruiting class and the No. 101 recruit in Texas. Having not played football until his junior season, he was late to the recruiting radar, but he showed enough potential in his first year to draw scholarship offers from Houston, Rice, SMU, Texas State, Tulsa and Yale. Jones initially committed to SMU in June 2017, but he kept an open mind during his senior season and added offers from Cal, Iowa State, Vanderbilt and Virginia. He was reportedly leaning toward Cal (his parents, who are first-generation college graduates, prioritized academics) until Texas (his dream school) made a late run and offered him a week before signing day. Jones signed with the Longhorns and was the No. 23 recruit in former head coach Tom Herman’s 2018 class. Jones, who is an eight-time Big 12 Honor Roll honoree, earned his undergraduate degree in December 2021 and went on to get his master’s in sport man agement (May 2023). He accepted an invitation to the 2024 Senior Bowl.

BACKGROUND: Byron Murphy II, the third of four boys, was born and raised in DeSoto. When Murphy was 5 years old, his father (Byron Sr.), who was a standout football player in high school, introduced him to football. It became Murphy’simmediate passion (along with a little bit of basketball with his brothers). He was a running back and linebacker throughout pee-wee and youth football. At Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School, he was named the Offensive Player of the Year in seventh and eighth grade. Murphy enrolled at DeSoto High School, where he was teammates with several future FBS players, including WR Laviska Shenault. After starting out on JV, he moved up to varsity as a freshman linebacker. Murphy had no intention to move to defensive line, but as the starting middle linebacker as a sophomore, the coaches introduced a blitz package in which he would creep up as an extra lineman. It was so successful that the coaches decided to make the move permanent. From his new position as a junior, Murphy posted 98 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks and four forced fumbles (one returned for a touchdown), earning All-District honors. He led DeSoto to a 10-2 finish as a senior and notched 14.0 sacks in 2020, which broke Von Miller’s single-season school record. Murphy also had 79 tackles, 22.0 tackles for loss and one forced fumble, which earned him first team All-State and All-District. Before enrolling at Texas, he also earned his associate degree from Dallas College (May 2021).

A four-star recruit, Murphy was the No. 49 defensive lineman in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 54 recruit in Texas. Playing next to five-star defensive lineman Shemar Turner at DeSoto (No. 22 overall recruit in the 2021 class and a Texas A&M commit), he went slightly overlooked early in his recruitment, but his tape and performances at recruiting camps quickly changed that. At age 16, Murphy was invited to the Opening Regional in Dallas in 2019 and tested in the 98th percentile at 276 pounds. After his sophomore season, the offers started to pour in, including from Colorado, Georgia Tech, Kansas, SMU, TCU and Utah. His first major offer, from Georgia, came after his junior year. In March 2020, Murphy was offered by Baylor, and he officially committed to first-year head coach Dave Aranda. However, he flipped to Texas toward the end of his senior season. Tom Herman was fired two weeks after Murphy signed with the Longhorns, but he stayed committed with new head coach Steve Sarkisian and was the No. 6 recruit in Sarkisian’s first class in Austin. He was a three-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and is studying kinesiology and exercise science at Texas. After three seasons with the Longhorns, Murphy elected to skip his senior season and enter the 2024 NFL Draft. He accepted his invitation to the 2024 Senior Bowl but pulled out a few weeks before the event

BACKGROUND: T’Vondre (tuh-VOHN-dray) “Tee” Sweat (SWET) was born in Huntsville (70 miles north of Houston), then grew up with his mother (Lashunda Ross) in her hometown of Houston. He got started in flag football at age 5, then played tackle football at age 7 for the 4th Ward Cowboys and Cardinals. Almost always the biggest kid in his class growing up, he also spent a lot of time playing basketball at the YMCA throughout his childhood. For high school, Sweat moved back to Huntsville and attended Huntsville High School, where he was a three-year varsity letterman on the football team (primarily at defensive end). After earning first team All-District honors as a sophomore, he recorded 53 tackles and 3.0 sacks as a junior, helping Huntsville to an 8 -2 record and the 2017 district title. As a senior, Sweat led Huntsville to a 12-win season and the regional playoff semifinals (for the first time since 1991), falling in a close game to Fort Bend Marshall (Devon Achane had five touchdowns in the game for Marshall). Sweat earned first team All-State and District MVP honors in 2018. He also played center on the basketball team.

A three-star recruit, Sweat was the No. 45 defensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class and the No. 74 recruit in Texas. Before his junior season started, he had already put together an impressive offer sheet that included Baylor, Houston, SMU and Texas A&M. After his junior season, Sweat added offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Looking to stay close to home (Sweat: “I’m a momma’s boy.”), he committed to Longhorns head coach Tom Herman and was the No. 17 recruit in the Longhorns’ 2019 class (enrolled at 320 pounds). Sweat took advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted because of the pandemic and returned to Austin for a fifth season in 2023 (Sweat: “I still had a lot to prove. I came back to win a natty.”).

Two of his brothers also played football at Huntsville and in college: T.J. Sweat (Texas Permian Basin, Tarleton State) and Latel Sweat (Wayland Baptist). His college roommate was running back Jonathon Brooks (they call themselves the ”Eastview Boys”). Sweat graduated from Texas with his degree (May 2023). He wears a massive chain that reads “Make ‘em Sweat.” He accepted his invitation to the 2024 Senior Bow

BACKGROUND: Jaylan Ford grew up in the Dallas area. Throughout his childhood, Ford was involved with different outdoor activities and multiple sports, including baseball, basketball and weightlifting. But football was always his favorite (his youth team was the Longhorns). Ford attended Lone Star High School in Frisco, where he was teammates with several future FBS players, including WR Marvin Mims. After seeing limited varsity action as a freshman, Ford was named District Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore as he helped the program to a 12-2 record and the 2017 district championship. As a junior, he earned honorable mention All-State honors and was named District MVP with 105 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and three interceptions. As a senior, Ford led Lone Star to a 14-1 record and the 2020 district championship (only loss came in the state playoff semifinals). He finished the 2020 season with 142 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one interception, earning second team All-State honors. Ford also lettered in track and had a personal best of 18.73 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles.

A three-star recruit, Ford was the No. 81 outside linebacker in the 2020 recruiting class and the No. 153 recruit in Texas. He didn’t receive his first scholarship offer until after his junior season, when Toledo gave him an offer in January 2019. Over the following months, Ford added offers from Army, Colorado State, North Texas and Tulsa and then his first Power 5 offers (Kansas, Minnesota and Texas Tech). He was also offered by Utah and committed to head coach Kyle Whittingham in October 2019 midway through his senior season. That November, Texas visited a Lone Star practice , and the coaches decided to offer him. Ford planned to stay loyal to the Utes, but the late push by Texas had him thinking about staying closer to home for college. On early signing day, he made the last-minute decision to flip to head coach Tom Herman and the Longhorns. Ford was the lowest-ranked recruit (20th out of 20 signees) in Herman’s 2020 class that was headlined by RB Bijan Robinson. He accepted his invitation to the 2024 Senior Bowl but pulled out because of injury.

BACKGROUND: Ryan Watts III grew up north of Dallas. He blossomed as a football player during middle school, and that continued at Little Elm High School, where he was a three-year varsity letterman. Watts felt most comfortable at safety, but the coaches convinced him to move to cornerback during his sophomore season. As a junior, he allowed only one catch all season (to Lone Star’s Marvin Mims) and earned second team All-District honors in 2018. Little Elm managed only two wins during his senior season, but Watts was named the team’s MVP and second team All-State at cornerback. He played both ways in 2019 and recorded 51 tackles, two interceptions and one forced fumble on defense, adding 24 catches for 456 yards and 10 touchdowns as a wide receiver. He also lettered in track at Little Elm.

A four-star recruit, Watts was the No. 18 safety in the 2020 recruiting class and the No. 32 recruit in Texas. His recruitment blew up after his junior season, when he attended several recruiting showcases. Over the course of a month, Watts picked up double-digit scholarship offers, including from major programs like Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and Washington. In April 2019, he visited Norman and committed to Lincoln Riley and Oklahoma. However, he continued to take recruiting visits, including to Ohio State. Midway through his senior season, Watts flipped his commitment to the Buckeyes (his primary recruite r was former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley). He was the No. 8 recruit in head coach Ryan Day’s 2020 class, which also included C.J. Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. After two seasons in Columbus, Watts entered the transfer portal following the 2021 season and committed to Texas for his final two col lege seasons. He accepted his invitation to the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl.

 

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14 hours ago, Getafix said:

 

 

 

 

Two backs drafted in early rounds last year and another one this cycle (maybe two is Robinson is snagged at the end of the 7th or something). It's clearly up in the air in terms what Blue does this next season, but I think it is credible to argue that his measurables will play pretty at the combine/pro day. It would be kind of kickass to see a back moving on to the NFL after each season for a while. Seems like Bama pumped out a back from their factory every season for a decade, but I'm sure there was a cycle or two where they missed. Still, we're walking in some high cotton with the roster right now.

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