Texas Longhorns Insider: Where Will the Longhorns Draftees End Up in 2011 Draft?
It’s always interesting and fun to talk about the NFL Draft when it affects some of the players that were on your favorite team. Big time fans of their favorite college football team typically follow those players that were once a part of their favorite college program into the NFL to see how they are doing.
It’s a safe bet that many Longhorns fans know where former quarterback Colt McCoy is and what his situation is with the Cleveland Browns. It’s also probably true that many know that Sergio Kindle was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens last year but missed the season because of a fractured skull.
There are five draftable prospects that Texas is putting forward this season that will most likely be taken in the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft. We will take a closer look at each of these five players and try to figure out where they may end up going in this year’s draft and how their first season in the NFL just might turn out.
Aaron Williams-CB
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Williams will end up being the first player from Texas picked in the 2011 NFL Draft, and right now, it’s looking like he could be a late first to early second round pick this year. Williams had a solid career at Texas, although he wasn’t as productive (in terms of creating turnovers) as some NFL scouts and general managers would like to see, so this may hurt his draft stock a little bit.
But in a draft that’s short of talent at the position (towards the top of the draft), Williams may be just the guy that some teams are looking for.
So where will he end up going? With the cornerback position not being one of the strongest in the draft, Williams could find his way into the first round with teams like the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks needing some help in the secondary. It’s more likely that he will land somewhere in the early second round to a team like the Detroit Lions or the St. Louis Rams.
Where does he go: Early Second Round
Curtis Brown-CB
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The Longhorns will send three good cornerbacks into the draft this season, and this Brown could be the better of the two (with Chykie Brown being the other draftable cornerback for the Longhorns).
Brown is a pretty nice sized corner that could add a little bit of weight to help fill out his frame and help him withstand the rigors of the NFL. He can play both man and zone coverages and has the ability to get up high and either knock the ball away from the receiver or come down with the interception. He has no off the field issues and has remained relatively healthy during his career with the Longhorns.
Unfortunately, Brown hasn’t been as productive as some of the other players at his position in the draft and doesn’t intercept the ball as often as some would like to see. While he is a good form tackler, he’s not known for being a hard or punishing hitter and will have troubles tackling players in the open. He also appears to have lapses in concentration at times.
Brown will get drafted and should be able to find a home as a backup corner or quite possibly a nickelback somewhere to start. He does have the skill to start in the NFL but will have to improve his production and work his way into the starting lineup wherever he lands, but it shouldn’t take him long to do that.
Where does he go: Third Round
Chykie Brown-CB
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This Brown has potential for a promising career in the NFL as well and looks to be a middle to late round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Brown has good size for the position and combines good speed with that size. He plays hard all of the time and plays the game with a lot of intensity for the most part. He is a good athlete and can play in man or zone schemes. Something else that is nice about him is that he is a good character guy who works hard both on the field and off of it.
Like his counterparts last season (Brown and Williams), Brown didn’t have that productive of a season, and that has some scouts and general managers concerned. His size has some thinking that he may not be able to withstand the every down rigors of playing the cornerback position in the NFL. He has some problems changing directions at times and needs to learn a little bit more before he can become an effective NFL cornerback.
Where does he go: Fifth Round
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Sam Acho-DE
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The Longhorns defense has been lucky enough to have some good defensive ends in recent years. Guys like Kindle and Brian Orakpo played very well for the Longhorns while they were there, and Orakpo has gone on to a nice career in the NFL.
Will Acho be able to follow in his footsteps and make a nice transition to the NFL? He brings a lot of athleticism and has very nice speed.
He works hard on and off the field and is a leader while he’s on the field as well. He’s a smart player and knows the game well. Mechanically, he is quick and gets off the ball fast. What he struggles with is the ability to be an explosive pass rusher and playing well against the run. There are times when he can get pushed out of plays and didn’t get the chance to play too much during his first two seasons with the Longhorns.
There is a lot of potential there with Acho, and he could end up being a surprise for some team that decides to take him in the draft. Look for him to go somewhere in the third to fifth round in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Where will he go: Second or Third Round
Kyle Hix-OT
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Finally, Texas has one more prospect that could see himself drafted at the end of April, and that’s offensive lineman Kyle Hix. Hix brings some nice athleticism and size to the position and does best when he is blocking against the run. He has good size, coming in at 6’6”, weighing 318 pounds and can be a force at times. He gets his arms out well and can use his hands to keep defenders away. Hix plays 100 percent all of the time and works hard on the field and off of it.
What Hix struggles with is ability to stay low and not get pushed around. He also tends to lunge at times and can be beaten by speed rushers off the edge. Hix doesn’t move side to side as well as other offensive tackles do and has problems blocking on the run.
Hix hasn’t had bad workouts but hasn’t really impressed a lot of people. Talk around the league is that Hix could slip to the seventh round or end up as a free agent when it’s all said and done.
Where will he go: Seventh or UFA
Tray Allen-OT
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There is one more player that the Longhorns will have eligible for the draft, but not too many people have heard about him, including NFL scouts and head coaches. His name is Tray Allen and he played offensive tackle for the Longhorns during his time with the team. Allen flashed some potential while playing at Texas, but may not have what it takes to get drafted in the 2011 NFL Draft.
He does have some good attributes like his ability to stay low and play with a lot of physicality, but he didn’t do that well at Texas. Allen may quietly be picked up as an undrafted free agent by someone looking for a developmental player at the offensive tackle position and could be on someone’s practice squad next season.
Where will he go: UFA
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