Texas
Texas is back? Under Steve Sarkisian, Longhorns’ NFL draft stock is hotter than ever
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian tells his players to act like a thermostat. Set the tone in games, practices and the classroom. Never let up. It’s been his mantra since he became head coach in 2021.
If the upcoming NFL draft is any indication, Texas is hot.
The Longhorns sent a school-record 11 players to the NFL Scouting Combine and have a chance for three players to be selected in the first round of the draft.
The last time Texas had multiple players picked in the first round was 2007. Last year, NFL teams drafted five players from Sarkisian’s program, including running back Bijan Robinson in the first round. The Cowboys drafted linebacker DeMarvion Overshown in the third round, marking the first time the Cowboys have drafted a player from Texas since 2018 (Connor Williams, second round). Before Robinson, defensive tackle Malcom Brown was the last Texas player picked in the first round in 2015.
Texas is a Power 5 school, leaving the Big 12 for the football powerhouse that’s the SEC for the 2024 season. A look at previous drafts wouldn’t lead you to believe that. In 2022, no player from Texas was drafted. Last year, things changed and the hard work of Sarkisian and his staff is showing up.
“We always had talent it just getting to that upper notch,” cornerback Ryan Watts said. “It all started with the leadership program when I got there. It was player-led and I don’t think they had that before. I think that was big reason for the change.”
Of the 11 players sent to Indianapolis, defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and receiver Xavier Worthy have strong chances to go in the first round. Murphy, a DeSoto product, is projected as a top-15 pick. Worthy morphed into a first-round projection when he produced a 4.21 40, the fastest time ever at the combine. Receiver Adonai Mitchell, and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders could go in the first round but project more as Day 2 selections. Defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat is another possible second- or third-round pick. His stock might drop because of his recent arrest on a DWI charge.
“People are recognizing the development side of what’s here,” Sarkisian said on the All Facts No Breaks podcast hosted by former Cowboys receiver Keyshawn Johnson.
“Like I said, our culture is what helped us get here,” Sanders said. “If you look at our year one, we went from 5-7 to making it to the college football playoff, putting Texas back on the map. It’s a great thing. Just playing for one another, going out there, dominating, having fun with our brothers, playing for one another.”
And Texas players act like they belong on this big stage. During the combine, Worthy talked about running the fastest 40 time and establishing himself as one of the top receivers in this draft.
“An explosive player,” he said when asked to describe himself. “Natural route runner and toughness. I feel like I play with a chip on my shoulder.”
Worthy joked about challenging Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill, considered one of the fastest players in the NFL.
“That would be somebody that I definitely [think would] kinda challenge me,” he said, smiling. “A big challenge.”
Murphy might become the first interior lineman taken off draft boards this spring.
“Just putting in the work,” he said. “Just working hard each and every day. And also, I feel like my tape speaks for itself — I feel like I put a lot on tape this year. … I feel like I showed a lot of NFL teams what I could do, what they can get from me.”
Running back Jonathon Brooks also is among the top players from Texas. He’s recovering from a torn ACL and rushed for 1,139 yards last season. Brooks could be a Day 2 pick. Sanders, with seven touchdown receptions the last two seasons, set a school record with 99 catches at his position. Murphy was a first-team All-Big 12 pick and the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the year. Sweat was the Outland Trophy winner and first-team All-American and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Texas players have the resume to back up boasts that they can contribute in the NFL. Sweat joked at the combine he’d run a 4.4 or 4.51 40. He came in at 5.27. His weight, always a concern, was dismissed. He said he can play at 365 pounds.
To say Texas is back could be an understatement.
It’s hot.
“Big shout-out to Coach Sark,” Sweat said. “What happened is that we all just believed and trust. That’s what got us to this situation, just believing and trusting the head coach.”
Find more Texas Longhorns coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
A Brazilian fitness influencer has died after getting into difficulty during the swimming portion of an ironman event in Texas.
Mara Flavia Souza Araujo was reported as a “lost swimmer” around 7.30am at the Ironman Texas in Lake Woodlands near Houston on Saturday. According to KPRC 2 News, safety crews could not immediately locate Araujo. The 38-year-old’s body was discovered around 90 minutes later in 10ft of water by divers. She was pronounced dead on the scene.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department confirmed her identity in a statement to NBC on Monday.
“MCSO can confirm that Mara Flavia Souza Araujo, 38, of Brazil died while competing in the Ironman event in The Woodlands on Saturday,” the sheriff’s department told NBC News. “Preliminary investigations indicate she drowned during the swimming portion of the event.”
Araujo was an experienced triathlete and had completed at least nine ironman events since 2018. She had more than 60,000 followers on Instagram and had posted about the importance of making the most out of life in the days before her death.
Allow Instagram content?
This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click ‘Allow and continue’.
“Enjoy this ride on the bullet train that is life,” she wrote in Portuguese. “And even with the speed of the machine blurring the landscape, look out the window – for at any moment, the train will drop you off at the eternal station.”
Organizers of the race expressed their condolences on Saturday.
“We send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the athlete and will offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time,” race organizers said in a statement on Saturday. “Our gratitude goes out to the first responders for their assistance.”
A glamorous triathlete who drowned during an Ironman competition in Texas shared a photo from a swimming pool during a final training session just two days before the tragic race.
Brazilian influencer Mara Flávia, 38, shared the shot of her on the edge of a pool on Thursday — two days before she vanished during an open-water swim in The Woodlands Saturday morning.
“Just another day at work,” Flávia, 38, wrote in Portuguese alongside the pic of her wearing a matching pink swimming costume and cap.
The influencer, who had more than 60,000 followers online, chose the Robin S track “Show Me Love” for her post with the hashtags “triathlon,” “swimming” and “triathlete.”
Flávia vanished during an open-water swim in The Woodlands Saturday morning – the first of three grueling trials that competitors face during the 140-mile race.
Fire crews were told about a “lost swimmer” at around 7:30 a.m., one hour into the pro-female swim, KPRC reported.
Rescuers battled challenging visibility conditions before Flávia’s body was pulled from the water just after 9:30 a.m.
Montgomery County Sheriffs confirmed that the victim “drowned while participating in the swim portion of the event,” according to a statement. The office said its Major Crimes unit will continue the investigation “per normal protocols.”
Shawn McDonald, a volunteer, recounted the commotion before the swimmer’s body was recovered.
The dad, who volunteered with his daughter Mila, 12, said a group of younger volunteers in a kayak raised a flag and blew their whistles, “yelling for help.”
“I heard them say she went under,” he wrote on Facebook.
“I had Mila hand me the paddle and I started calling out to the athletes around us to stop so I could cross. I made my way over in about 30 seconds.
“When I got there and asked what happened, they all said the same thing: She went under. Right here. Right below us. The panic and fear on their faces won’t leave me for a long time.”
The volunteer recalled how one man had a “thousand-yard stare” on his face – before diving into the water in a desperate bid to find Flávia.
“I dove in immediately and began searching. After about a minute underwater, I felt her body with my foot. I surfaced, took what seemed like the deepest breath I have ever taken and went back down. She was gone.”
Boats with sonar combed the area – and McDonald was told to leave the water before the body was recovered.
“The victim was found in about 10 feet of water on the bottom of the lake,” Buck said. “The dive team accessed the victim, brought her up about 9:37 and then brought her over to the shore where she was pronounced DOS [deceased on scene],” Palmer Buck, the Woodlands fire chief, said.
It’s not known what caused the triathlete to go under the water.
Journalism grad Flávia previously worked in radio and television before pursuing a sporting career at age 28.
She previously twice won the Brazilian Grand Prix, and finished third in the Brasilia triathlon event.
Lady Vols basketball is looking to add more pieces to its 2026-27 roster with high-level experience. After completing her junior season at Texas A&M, Fatmata Janneh has emerged as a Tennessee target for her final year of eligibility. According to her Instagram story on Sunday night, she is in Knoxville.
With the Aggies a year ago, the 6-foot-2 forward averaged 11.4 points per game on 43.3% shooting from the field. She also showed off an ability to hit from range, posting 1.1 makes per game on 33% shooting from three.
Perhaps Janneh’s biggest strength is her rebounding, though. She ripped down 9.7 boards per contest, good for the fifth-most in the SEC. This featured 2.6 rebounds on the offensive end per outing.
Janneh also averaged 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. She appeared in 27 games, starting in each.
More From RTI: How Watching The NCAA Tournament Drew Terrence Hill Jr. To Tennessee Basketball
Janneh started her career with a pair of seasons at St. Peter’s. As a sophomore, she averaged a double-double, posting 18.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. This made her a sought-after transfer in the portal before landing at Texas A&M as the nation’s leading defensive rebounder. As a freshman, she averaged 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.
The forward is from London, England, attending Barking Abbey Sixth Form for her prep ball. She would be the second player from England to join the Tennessee roster if she committed. UT also added the commitment of incoming freshman and former Boston College signee Irene Oboavwoduo this offseason.
So far, Caldwell and the Lady Vols have landed five transfers in this portal cycle. This features Liberty guard Avery Mills, Northern Arizona guard Naomi White, Stanford forward Harper Peterson and Georgia forward Zhen Craft and guard Rylie Theuerkauf.
Tennessee will also roster a pair of incoming freshmen. Four-star recruit and top-50 prospect Gabby Minus is staying true to her signing despite the roster overhaul and assistant coaching changes, along with the addition of Oboavwoduo.
-
New York35 minutes agoHarvey Weinstein’s Third Trial on Rape Charge Opens in Manhattan
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoMan jumps into action to save girlfriend in crash involving teen driver fleeing MSP
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoSanta Rosa: The 1906 earthquake almost lost to history
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoJohnston scores twice, Stars hold off Wild in Game 2 to even West 1st Round | NHL.com
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoBetween Providence And Boston Is A Vibrant Massachusetts Town Bursting With Diverse Entertainment – Islands
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoMinnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets Apr 20, 2026 Game Summary
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoAthletics Beat Mariners in Seattle 6-4
-
San Diego, CA2 hours agoEl Cajon crisis unit opens, bringing county’s total to eight