Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL mock draft features three Texas players in the first round, including wide receiver Matthew Golden. One of the intriguing possibilities is the Buffalo Bills potentially selecting Golden at No. 30, as they could look to correct their decision from the 2024 draft when they passed on Xavier Worthy. Last year, the Bills traded their No. 28 pick to the Kansas City Chiefs, who used it to select Worthy. Worthy went on to have a standout rookie season with the Chiefs, catching 78 passes for 935 yards and nine touchdowns, including a remarkable performance in the Super Bowl with eight catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Eagles.
Jeremiah suggests that the Bills may not overlook another Longhorn wide receiver this time around. He sees Golden as a perfect fit for Buffalo’s offense, aligning well with quarterback Josh Allen. While the Bills do have defensive needs, Jeremiah believes selecting Golden is a move that provides great value for the team. Additionally, Jeremiah includes two other Texas players in the first round: offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. at No. 10 to the Chicago Bears and cornerback Jahdae Barron at No. 17 to the Cincinnati Bengals. Banks is praised for his versatility, being capable of playing both tackle and guard, while Barron is noted as too talented to pass up despite the Bengals’ potential need for a defensive tackle.
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Other Texas players who have generated first-round buzz include offensive tackle Cameron Williams, quarterback Quinn Ewers, and wide receiver Isaiah Bond. Bond has even expressed his goal to break Worthy’s all-time 40-yard dash record during the NFL Combine, which will feature 14 Longhorns this year. Texas had a notable dry spell in terms of first-round picks before Steve Sarkisian’s arrival, but under his leadership, the program has seen a resurgence. The Longhorns last had a first-round selection in 2015 with defensive lineman Malcolm Brown, and their draft prospects have only improved since then.
Texas is poised to break its own record of 11 NFL Draft picks set last year, with more than a dozen players expected to be drafted in 2025. The program’s talent pipeline is stronger than ever, and it appears that Texas will continue to produce top-tier NFL prospects in the coming years. As more players showcase their skills at pro days and the NFL Combine, the Longhorns’ draft stock may continue to rise.
