Texas Football: Longhorns Look to Increase Draft Stock at NFL Combine

The Texas Longhorns will have a chance to showcase their talents in the upcoming NFL combine. Five former players were selected to participate in the week-long event, which begins with interviews on Tues. Feb. 17.

The Longhorns made history in last year's NFL draft, but it was not the type of history the school wants to continue. The 2014 NFL draft went by without any former Texas players selected, which ended the Longhorns' 75-year streak of having at least one player drafted.

But there's a very good chance history will not repeat itself in 2015.

Here's a look at the five former Longhorns who have the chance to increase their draft stock at the NFL combine.

DT Malcom Brown

Eric Gay/Associated Press

The headliner of the Longhorns heading to the NFL combine is junior defensive tackle Malcom Brown. A projected first-round pick by Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, Brown chose to forgo his senior season at Texas to enter the NFL draft.

The 6'2", 320-pound tackle was a player teams had to game-plan for because of his ability to disrupt opposing offenses.

Texas defensive coordinator Vance Bedford feels Brown is one of the best 3-technique tackles he has ever coached. The Brenham, Texas, native showed significant development as the 2014 season progressed, especially when it came to his quickness and ability to shed blocks.

Various NFL draft pundits list Brown as a first rounder, and CBSSports.com has him as the No. 20 overall prospect in the 2015 NFL draft.

Brown has the talent and physique to become a successful tackle at the next level, but he needs to work on his power and technique with his hands, according to CBS Sports.  Brown will have a chance to show his skills and increase his draft stock on Feb. 22.

NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock told Orangebloods.com that Brown is definitely a first-round prospect.

"

Malcom Brown to me is a first-round guy all day long. Love his size. He's 6-2, 320. He's stout versus the run. He can push the edge. I think he gets drafted somewhere in the 20s, between 20 and 32. Started his final 27 games, I believe. Married with two kids. Everything kind of fits. He's a low-risk investment and a really good football player.

"

DE Cedric Reed

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Defensive end Cedric Reed's journey to the NFL has been an interesting one to follow. After a breakout All-American junior season, Reed entered his senior year with high expectations. However, the 2014 season did not go as expected.

Reed struggled to play consistently well and did not play with the same explosiveness as the previous year. The 6'6", 271-pound defensive end discussed his frustrations on a variety of occasions but never discussed the main reason behind his disappointing season.

But the truth revealed itself in early January. 

Reed played the entire 2014 season with a torn meniscus, something the defensive end never made public throughout his struggling year. He has since undergone surgery, and there has not been any official word on if he plans to work out during the combine drills.

Reed has the frame of the ideal NFL defensive end but doesn't always use his size to his advantage. He will need to work on his strength and footwork at the next level.

It will be interesting to see if NFL organizations focus on Reed's junior film over last year's performances due to his injury. Miller lists Reed as the No. 18 defensive end and projects as a fourth- or fifth-round pick in the upcoming draft. 

LB Jordan Hicks

USA TODAY Sports

Linebacker Jordan Hicks will compete at the NFL combine and has much to prove to the draft scouts. The 6'1", 234-pound linebacker missed almost all of the 2012 and 2013 seasons with injury but returned with a vengeance in 2014 and excelled in Strong's defense.

Hicks offers the ideal size and speed and showed a superb ability to make open-field tackles during his final season at Texas. Finishing a complete season last year may help alleviate the questions about his ability to stay healthy but will not erase those questions.

Hicks is projected as a fourth- or fifth-round pick by CBS Sports, whereas Miller ranks him as the No. 6 outside linebacker in the draft and a possible third-round selection.

Mayock believes Hicks' tackling ability is one of his best assets.

"I like him. I like what I've seen so far," Mayock told Orangebloods.com. "I like his size. He tackles, which is a little bit of a lost art these days."

DB Quandre Diggs

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Defensive back Quandre Diggs had an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl and will look to build on it at the NFL combine. Diggs has experience playing cornerback and nickel and ranks as the No. 12 cornerback prospect by Miller and a fifth-round selection by CBS Sports.

At 5'9" and 196 pounds, Diggs is a bit on the small side but makes up for it in his big-play ability. The defensive back will have the chance to show his athleticism at the combine. One of his weaknesses is his lack of speed, according to NFL.com, but he can help eliminate questions about his speed in combine drills.

"Diggs, I believe is kind of more a mid-to-late draft pick," Mayock told Orangebloods.com. "Might fit as a nickel initially. Will have to make a living on special teams."

RB Malcolm Brown

Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Running back Malcolm Brown is the Longhorns' only offensive player invited to the NFL combine. The 5'11", 222-pound back played all four season at Texas and has a chance to prove his talents to NFL organizations at the scouting combine.

Brown's career at Texas was up-and-down. He was sidelined with injuries for a few games during his freshman and sophomore seasons, but his production increased his junior year when Johnathan Gray tore his Achilles tendon. His senior season may not have gone the way he hoped. The Longhorns had a young, inexperienced offensive line that struggled to open up holes for the ground game. 

One critique about Brown is his lack of ability to be a feature back, and he shows "little explosiveness through the hole," according to CBSSports.com. 

Brown ranks as the No. 15 running back by Miller and is a projected sixth- to seventh-round pick by CBS Sports.

Follow Taylor Gaspar on Twitter: @Taylor_Gaspar.

NFL draft ratings via CBSSports.com and Matt Miller's 2015 Pre-Combine Draft Board.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.