Prior to fall camp, the OB staff held an 8-round player draft. The goal was to select players based on their importance to this year's Longhorn football team.
You all requested that we re-draft before the season started, so we did that this week. The results ....
Round 1
Ketch - Malik Jefferson, LB - No need to make this rocket science. Give me the best player, pro prospect and leader on the team. I did consider D’Onta Foreman for about two seconds.
Jason - D’Onta Foreman, RB - Was tempted to go Shane Buechele here because I still think he holds the key to UT’s 2016 success, but with the quarterback situation so up in the air I’ll go with the safe pick in Foreman.
Alex - Connor Williams, LT - With Foreman off the board, I’ll go with the most important player to the offensive line that will be paving the way for the runners. I’m sure it won’t be long before Chris Warren is off the board …
Anwar - Chris Warren, RB - Do you think I’m jumping off the hype train now? No chance. Warren will be a part of Texas’ 1-2 running combination this season. Do not be surprised if Warren has at least 800 rushing yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Dustin - Holton HIll, CB - I selected him before preseason camp as the sixth overall pick, and there was no hesitation to take him fifth. Hill is the total package at corner, a rare athlete for his size, and is poised for a big sophomore season. And the Longhorns will need him to be able to live on his own island against receivers at times.
Round 2
Dustin - Davante Davis, CB - Like Hill, Davis is possesses a rare combo of size and talent, and is candidate to jam a receiver into the Gatorade jug on the sidelines. A threat to jump any errant pass thrown into his area in zone coverage, Davis could emerge as one of the nation’s leaders in interceptions. And, again like Hill, the Longhorns will need him to be able to hold his own in single coverage and generate third-down stops and turnovers.
Anwar - John Burt, WR - It is tempting to grab Collin Johnson, but Burt proved he can be explosive. Burt has tremendous upside in Sterlin Gilbert’s offense. If teams cannot double Burt, he is definitely going to be a problem for opposing defenses.
Alex - Kent Perkins, RG - He’s the strongest player on the team and he needs a big season to drum up any future NFL hype. Having moved inside to his natural position at guard, Perkins is the Texas offense’s best road-grader.
Jason - Anthony Wheeler, LB - I almost went Collin Johnson here, like the first time, but I'm expecting a big year from Wheeler and he has had a terrific camp.
Ketch - Collin Johnson, WR - Oh boy, we’re starting to reach the stage of this proceedings when I feel like I’m running out of awesome options. Johnson might be a year away from a true breakout, but he’s a day-one starter that should be a popular target in the red-zone. I could easily see Burt leading the team in yards and Johnson leading the team in receiving touchdowns.
Round 3
Ketch - Charles Omenihu, DE - He’s young and he might start the season in a reserve role, but I’m not afraid to project him as the team’s best overall defensive lineman this season, whether it’s the interior or on the edge.
Jason - Poona Ford, DT - Texas is low on DT experience and Ford may be the best option they have. This could be his breakout year.
Alex - Paul Boyette, DT - He’s the line’s senior leader and is a player who’s good enough to have a legitimate hope at some sort of eventual NFL paycheck with continued development through his senior season.
Anwar - Patrick Vahe, G - The only knock against Vahe is he seemingly battles a lot of injuries. However, with a year under his belt, Vahe should be a much better player. Vahe was on an offensive line that excelled as run blockers - at times - last year. If Vahe is consistent, and health, he is an important member of Texas’ offense.
Dustin - Naashon Hughes, DE - Undervalued after producing at a decent level last year, and yet to be beaten out. Someone has to generate some tackles for a loss and sacks off the edge, right?
Round 4
Dustin - Edwin Freeman, LB - A former safety in high school, Freeman has the size and skills to make plays for Texas no matter what formation the offense is in. Wheeler has generated some buzz this camp, but so to has Freeman.
Anwar - Armanti Foreman, WR - This may finally be the year Foreman lives up to the recruiting hype. He is a playmaker who has looked spectacular in practice. If Foreman can stay healthy, this is a breakout season for him.
Alex - Tyrone Swoopes, QB - Someone had to do it. Even if Swoopes does not start versus Notre Dame, he will be relied on heavily in 2016 as a red-zone option and running threat at the very least. Swoopes was by far the most productive player on the offense in 2015 from a statistical scoring standpoint as well as on a per-snap basis.
Jason - Shane Buechele, QB - High risk, high reward here. This one will either make or break my draft, but I still think Buechele holds the long-term key to this year’s team’s success.
Ketch - Devin Duvernay, WR - When in doubt, take a potential game-breaker on offense if you think one exists and I think Duvernay has game-changing talent. It might take a little time, but this kid is going to have an impact this season.
Round 5
Ketch - Kirk Johnson, RB - If he hadn’t been injured last season against Tech, we might have spent as much time talking about Johnson as we did Chris Warren this off-season.
Jason - Dylan Haines, S - For all the crap I got for taking him in the first draft, nobody has really come close to bumping Haines from his starting job. The guy is about to be a three-year starter and one of the most productive players on the entire defense during those years.
Alex - Jacorey Warrick, WR - Strong has said he’s had a big fall camp and word is he’ll be heavily involved in the passing game from the start in 2016.
Anwar - Kyle Porter, RB - I feel like Ketch acted on emotion. I’ll snag Porter on facts. Texas coach Charlie Strong praised Porter’s performance while Warren and Foreman missed practice due to injuries. I expect Porter to be a change of pace back this season - and have an instant impact.
Dustin - D’andre Christmas, DT - Towards the end of camp it was Christmas who started to generate the most buzz behind the scenes as the freshman defensive tackle in the best position to make plays right away.
Round 6
Dustin - Tristan Nickelson, OT - Before a minor injury in camp, Nickelson was earning positive reviews after working as the first-group right tackle through the summer too. Considering what’s behind him, he’s an important piece to the offensive puzzle, especially because his emergence allowed Kent Perkins to shift inside. Strong said on Monday he’ll be out there against Notre Dame.
Anwar - P.J. Locke, DB - In addition to believing in Warren, I am also a big believer in Locke. He is the toughest guy on this defense. Locke has attitude and swagger. If he gets the chance to play this year, Locke will have an impact in a very talented young secondary.
Alex - Jerrod Heard, WR - The ball is going to be in his hands much more often than the average fan might expect.
Jason - Trent Domingue, K - The goal of this draft is to pick players based on their value for this year’s team. If that’s the criteria, this feels like the steal of the draft to me.
Ketch - Michael Dickson, P - I might be taking an All-Big 12 player in the sixth round, so I feel like I’m getting good value in going with the special teams unit at this stage of the proceedings. Very quietly, Dickson is one of the top recruiting coups/evaluations that Charlie Strong has pulled off in his first few years.
Round 7
Ketch - Antwaun Davis, CB - One of the top players in camp during August and he’s emerged as a starter in the nickel package. As one of the fastest and most explosive athletes in the program, the light switch seems to have flicked on and what has been revealed is a player coming into his own and developing into an NFL-level talent.
Jason - Bryce Cottrell, DE - Damn, Ketch grabbed Davis, who would have been my pick. Give me Cottrell, who had been getting as many or more first-team reps than Omenihu before a minor injury set him back. He’ll contribute a lot and may even be considered a starter.
Alex - Breckyn Hager, FOX - When Charlie Strong announced that freshman Erick Fowler would play inside linebacker, it became clear that Hager would be taking on at least a 35-45% snap role in 2016 as the primary option behind Naashon Hughes.
Anwar - Gerald Wilbon, DT - At 6-foot-2 and 329 pounds, Wilbon had a big body that will be utilized this year. Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford recently had nice things to say about the freshman defensive tackle. He is raw, but his upside make this a great value pick.
Dustin - Zach Shackelford, C - Yes, the injury and emergence of Jake McMillon are concerns, but this is a projected starter that turned heads the moment he arrived.
Round 8
Dustin - Lil’ Jordan Humphrey, WR - Some on the 40 acres believe he has the highest upside of any freshmen receiver not named Collin Johnson, and Strong mentioned him Monday as a freshman that’s going to get on the field soon.
Anwar - Kai Locksley, WR - In the final round of any draft, you either take a kicker or select a player you plan to stash who might make an impact later in the year. Locksley is a tremendous athlete, and nobody really knows his ceiling. If Texas is going to rotate receivers, he is definitely a guy to keep an eye on.
Alex - Caleb Bluiett, TE - He’s one of the best overall athletes on the team and he’ll get to put some things on tape for NFL scouts from the H-Back position this year that could lead to his getting drafted. He still should have never been moved from defense, though.
Jason - DeShon Elliott, S - I almost went with Brandon Hodges in the exact same spot I got him in the first draft since he very well could start, but I think Elliott has a chance to unseat Jason Hall so he’s the pick.
Ketch - Sam Ehlinger, QB - Hoping nobody notices what I’ve done.
******************************************
If you're keeping score, here are the teams we selected in this draft, and the teams we selected in the original draft before fall camp started:
Ketch (current draft)
Malik Jefferson
Collin Johnson
Charles Omenihu
Devin Duvernay
Kirk Johnson
Michael Dickson
Antwuan Davis
Sam Ehlinger
Ketch (first draft)
Malik Jefferson
Davante Davis
Charles Omenihu
Armanti Foreman
Erick Fowler
Brandon Jones
Edwin Freeman
Denzel Okafor
Jason (current draft)
D'Onta Foreman
Anthony Wheeler
Poona Ford
Shane Buechele
Dylan Haines
Trent Domingue
Bryce Cottrell
DeShon Elliott
Jason (first draft)
Shane Buechele
Collin Johnson
Anthony Wheeler
Poona Ford
DeShon Elliott
Kirk Johnson
Dylan Haines
Brandon Hodges
Alex (current draft)
Connor Williams
Kent Perkins
Paul Boyette
Tyrone Swoopes
Jacorey Warrick
Jerrod Heard
Breckyn Hager
Caleb Bluiett
Alex (first draft)
D'Onta Foreman
Patrick Vahe
Kent Perkins
P.J. Locke
Jeffrey McCulloch
Chris Nelson
Jason Hall
Andrew Fitzgerald
Anwar (current draft)
Chris Warren
John Burt
Patrick Vahe
Armanti Foreman
Kyle Porter
P.J. Locke
Gerald Wilbon
Kai Locksley
Anwar (first draft)
Chris Warren
John Burt
Breckyn Hager
Zach Shackelford
Kris Boyd
D'andre Christmas
Tyrone Swoopes
Michael Dickson
Dustin (current draft)
Holton Hill
Davante Davis
Naashon Hughes
Edwin Freeman
D'Andre Christmas
Tristan Nickelson
Zach Shackelford
Lil'Jordan Humphrey
Dustin (first draft)
Connor Williams
Holton Hill
Naashon Hughes
Paul Boyette
Bryce Cottrell
Chris Daniels
Jacorey Warrick
Caleb Bluiett
You all requested that we re-draft before the season started, so we did that this week. The results ....
Round 1
Ketch - Malik Jefferson, LB - No need to make this rocket science. Give me the best player, pro prospect and leader on the team. I did consider D’Onta Foreman for about two seconds.
Jason - D’Onta Foreman, RB - Was tempted to go Shane Buechele here because I still think he holds the key to UT’s 2016 success, but with the quarterback situation so up in the air I’ll go with the safe pick in Foreman.
Alex - Connor Williams, LT - With Foreman off the board, I’ll go with the most important player to the offensive line that will be paving the way for the runners. I’m sure it won’t be long before Chris Warren is off the board …
Anwar - Chris Warren, RB - Do you think I’m jumping off the hype train now? No chance. Warren will be a part of Texas’ 1-2 running combination this season. Do not be surprised if Warren has at least 800 rushing yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Dustin - Holton HIll, CB - I selected him before preseason camp as the sixth overall pick, and there was no hesitation to take him fifth. Hill is the total package at corner, a rare athlete for his size, and is poised for a big sophomore season. And the Longhorns will need him to be able to live on his own island against receivers at times.
Round 2
Dustin - Davante Davis, CB - Like Hill, Davis is possesses a rare combo of size and talent, and is candidate to jam a receiver into the Gatorade jug on the sidelines. A threat to jump any errant pass thrown into his area in zone coverage, Davis could emerge as one of the nation’s leaders in interceptions. And, again like Hill, the Longhorns will need him to be able to hold his own in single coverage and generate third-down stops and turnovers.
Anwar - John Burt, WR - It is tempting to grab Collin Johnson, but Burt proved he can be explosive. Burt has tremendous upside in Sterlin Gilbert’s offense. If teams cannot double Burt, he is definitely going to be a problem for opposing defenses.
Alex - Kent Perkins, RG - He’s the strongest player on the team and he needs a big season to drum up any future NFL hype. Having moved inside to his natural position at guard, Perkins is the Texas offense’s best road-grader.
Jason - Anthony Wheeler, LB - I almost went Collin Johnson here, like the first time, but I'm expecting a big year from Wheeler and he has had a terrific camp.
Ketch - Collin Johnson, WR - Oh boy, we’re starting to reach the stage of this proceedings when I feel like I’m running out of awesome options. Johnson might be a year away from a true breakout, but he’s a day-one starter that should be a popular target in the red-zone. I could easily see Burt leading the team in yards and Johnson leading the team in receiving touchdowns.
Round 3
Ketch - Charles Omenihu, DE - He’s young and he might start the season in a reserve role, but I’m not afraid to project him as the team’s best overall defensive lineman this season, whether it’s the interior or on the edge.
Jason - Poona Ford, DT - Texas is low on DT experience and Ford may be the best option they have. This could be his breakout year.
Alex - Paul Boyette, DT - He’s the line’s senior leader and is a player who’s good enough to have a legitimate hope at some sort of eventual NFL paycheck with continued development through his senior season.
Anwar - Patrick Vahe, G - The only knock against Vahe is he seemingly battles a lot of injuries. However, with a year under his belt, Vahe should be a much better player. Vahe was on an offensive line that excelled as run blockers - at times - last year. If Vahe is consistent, and health, he is an important member of Texas’ offense.
Dustin - Naashon Hughes, DE - Undervalued after producing at a decent level last year, and yet to be beaten out. Someone has to generate some tackles for a loss and sacks off the edge, right?
Round 4
Dustin - Edwin Freeman, LB - A former safety in high school, Freeman has the size and skills to make plays for Texas no matter what formation the offense is in. Wheeler has generated some buzz this camp, but so to has Freeman.
Anwar - Armanti Foreman, WR - This may finally be the year Foreman lives up to the recruiting hype. He is a playmaker who has looked spectacular in practice. If Foreman can stay healthy, this is a breakout season for him.
Alex - Tyrone Swoopes, QB - Someone had to do it. Even if Swoopes does not start versus Notre Dame, he will be relied on heavily in 2016 as a red-zone option and running threat at the very least. Swoopes was by far the most productive player on the offense in 2015 from a statistical scoring standpoint as well as on a per-snap basis.
Jason - Shane Buechele, QB - High risk, high reward here. This one will either make or break my draft, but I still think Buechele holds the long-term key to this year’s team’s success.
Ketch - Devin Duvernay, WR - When in doubt, take a potential game-breaker on offense if you think one exists and I think Duvernay has game-changing talent. It might take a little time, but this kid is going to have an impact this season.
Round 5
Ketch - Kirk Johnson, RB - If he hadn’t been injured last season against Tech, we might have spent as much time talking about Johnson as we did Chris Warren this off-season.
Jason - Dylan Haines, S - For all the crap I got for taking him in the first draft, nobody has really come close to bumping Haines from his starting job. The guy is about to be a three-year starter and one of the most productive players on the entire defense during those years.
Alex - Jacorey Warrick, WR - Strong has said he’s had a big fall camp and word is he’ll be heavily involved in the passing game from the start in 2016.
Anwar - Kyle Porter, RB - I feel like Ketch acted on emotion. I’ll snag Porter on facts. Texas coach Charlie Strong praised Porter’s performance while Warren and Foreman missed practice due to injuries. I expect Porter to be a change of pace back this season - and have an instant impact.
Dustin - D’andre Christmas, DT - Towards the end of camp it was Christmas who started to generate the most buzz behind the scenes as the freshman defensive tackle in the best position to make plays right away.
Round 6
Dustin - Tristan Nickelson, OT - Before a minor injury in camp, Nickelson was earning positive reviews after working as the first-group right tackle through the summer too. Considering what’s behind him, he’s an important piece to the offensive puzzle, especially because his emergence allowed Kent Perkins to shift inside. Strong said on Monday he’ll be out there against Notre Dame.
Anwar - P.J. Locke, DB - In addition to believing in Warren, I am also a big believer in Locke. He is the toughest guy on this defense. Locke has attitude and swagger. If he gets the chance to play this year, Locke will have an impact in a very talented young secondary.
Alex - Jerrod Heard, WR - The ball is going to be in his hands much more often than the average fan might expect.
Jason - Trent Domingue, K - The goal of this draft is to pick players based on their value for this year’s team. If that’s the criteria, this feels like the steal of the draft to me.
Ketch - Michael Dickson, P - I might be taking an All-Big 12 player in the sixth round, so I feel like I’m getting good value in going with the special teams unit at this stage of the proceedings. Very quietly, Dickson is one of the top recruiting coups/evaluations that Charlie Strong has pulled off in his first few years.
Round 7
Ketch - Antwaun Davis, CB - One of the top players in camp during August and he’s emerged as a starter in the nickel package. As one of the fastest and most explosive athletes in the program, the light switch seems to have flicked on and what has been revealed is a player coming into his own and developing into an NFL-level talent.
Jason - Bryce Cottrell, DE - Damn, Ketch grabbed Davis, who would have been my pick. Give me Cottrell, who had been getting as many or more first-team reps than Omenihu before a minor injury set him back. He’ll contribute a lot and may even be considered a starter.
Alex - Breckyn Hager, FOX - When Charlie Strong announced that freshman Erick Fowler would play inside linebacker, it became clear that Hager would be taking on at least a 35-45% snap role in 2016 as the primary option behind Naashon Hughes.
Anwar - Gerald Wilbon, DT - At 6-foot-2 and 329 pounds, Wilbon had a big body that will be utilized this year. Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford recently had nice things to say about the freshman defensive tackle. He is raw, but his upside make this a great value pick.
Dustin - Zach Shackelford, C - Yes, the injury and emergence of Jake McMillon are concerns, but this is a projected starter that turned heads the moment he arrived.
Round 8
Dustin - Lil’ Jordan Humphrey, WR - Some on the 40 acres believe he has the highest upside of any freshmen receiver not named Collin Johnson, and Strong mentioned him Monday as a freshman that’s going to get on the field soon.
Anwar - Kai Locksley, WR - In the final round of any draft, you either take a kicker or select a player you plan to stash who might make an impact later in the year. Locksley is a tremendous athlete, and nobody really knows his ceiling. If Texas is going to rotate receivers, he is definitely a guy to keep an eye on.
Alex - Caleb Bluiett, TE - He’s one of the best overall athletes on the team and he’ll get to put some things on tape for NFL scouts from the H-Back position this year that could lead to his getting drafted. He still should have never been moved from defense, though.
Jason - DeShon Elliott, S - I almost went with Brandon Hodges in the exact same spot I got him in the first draft since he very well could start, but I think Elliott has a chance to unseat Jason Hall so he’s the pick.
Ketch - Sam Ehlinger, QB - Hoping nobody notices what I’ve done.
******************************************
If you're keeping score, here are the teams we selected in this draft, and the teams we selected in the original draft before fall camp started:
Ketch (current draft)
Malik Jefferson
Collin Johnson
Charles Omenihu
Devin Duvernay
Kirk Johnson
Michael Dickson
Antwuan Davis
Sam Ehlinger
Ketch (first draft)
Malik Jefferson
Davante Davis
Charles Omenihu
Armanti Foreman
Erick Fowler
Brandon Jones
Edwin Freeman
Denzel Okafor
Jason (current draft)
D'Onta Foreman
Anthony Wheeler
Poona Ford
Shane Buechele
Dylan Haines
Trent Domingue
Bryce Cottrell
DeShon Elliott
Jason (first draft)
Shane Buechele
Collin Johnson
Anthony Wheeler
Poona Ford
DeShon Elliott
Kirk Johnson
Dylan Haines
Brandon Hodges
Alex (current draft)
Connor Williams
Kent Perkins
Paul Boyette
Tyrone Swoopes
Jacorey Warrick
Jerrod Heard
Breckyn Hager
Caleb Bluiett
Alex (first draft)
D'Onta Foreman
Patrick Vahe
Kent Perkins
P.J. Locke
Jeffrey McCulloch
Chris Nelson
Jason Hall
Andrew Fitzgerald
Anwar (current draft)
Chris Warren
John Burt
Patrick Vahe
Armanti Foreman
Kyle Porter
P.J. Locke
Gerald Wilbon
Kai Locksley
Anwar (first draft)
Chris Warren
John Burt
Breckyn Hager
Zach Shackelford
Kris Boyd
D'andre Christmas
Tyrone Swoopes
Michael Dickson
Dustin (current draft)
Holton Hill
Davante Davis
Naashon Hughes
Edwin Freeman
D'Andre Christmas
Tristan Nickelson
Zach Shackelford
Lil'Jordan Humphrey
Dustin (first draft)
Connor Williams
Holton Hill
Naashon Hughes
Paul Boyette
Bryce Cottrell
Chris Daniels
Jacorey Warrick
Caleb Bluiett
