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.
Evercore ISI senior managing director Mark Mahaney joins Varney & Co. to discuss the departure of Netflix Chairman Reed Hastings and to address questions about the company’s future leadership and strategy.
The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday, accusing the company of spying on children and other consumers by collecting their data without consent and designing the platform to be addictive.
Texas claims that Netflix has falsely represented to consumers that it didn’t collect or share user data while it actually tracked and sold viewers’ habits and preferences to commercial data brokers and advertising technology companies.
The lawsuit, filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claims that “Netflix’s endgame is simple and lucrative: get children and families glued to the screen, harvest their data while they are stuck there, and then monetize the data for a handsome profit.”
The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday. (Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“When you watch Netflix, Netflix watched you,” Texas added in the lawsuit.
NETFLIX CO-FOUNDER REED HASTINGS TO STEP DOWN, DEPARTURE IS ‘SPOOKING INVESTORS’
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFLX | NETFLIX INC. | 85.39 | -2.10 | -2.40% |
The complaint quotes comments made by former CEO Reed Hastings who said in 2020, while he was still leading the streaming company, that “we don’t collect anything,” amid questions over Big Tech companies’ data collection practices.
Netflix was also accused of quietly using “dark patterns” to keep users watching on its platform, such as an autoplay feature that starts a new show after a different show ends.
NETFLIX RAISES SUBSCRIPTION PRICES ACROSS ALL PLANS
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)
Paxton said in a press release that Netflix “has built a surveillance program designed to illegally collect and profit from Texans’ personal data without their consent, and my office will do everything in our power to stop it.”
The attorney general said he’s charging Netflix under the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act and seeks to require Netflix to stop the unlawful collection and disclosure of user data, require Netflix to disable autoplay by default on kid’s profiles, and to secure injunctive relief and civil penalties.
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FOX Business reached out to Netflix for comment.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Six people were found dead inside a cargo train boxcar in a Texas city along the southern border on Sunday, officials said.
The bodies were found in a Union Pacific train at a rail yard in Laredo, around 160 miles south of San Antonio, just after 3:30 p.m. local time, said Jose Espinoza, a public information officer with the Laredo Police Department.
The circumstances of their deaths are unknown, said Laredo police spokesperson Joe Baeza, according to CNN affiliate KGNS, and an investigation is underway.
Union Pacific operates across the border and is the only railroad that services all access points into Mexico, according to the freight company’s website.
Temperatures on Sunday afternoon in Laredo were in the low-mid 90s, though it’s unclear whether heat was a factor.
Union Pacific said it was saddened by the incident and is working closely with law enforcement to investigate.
Laredo police said they received a call around 3 p.m. from an employee at the Union Pacific rail yard, KGNS reported. The bodies were discovered during a routine rail car inspection, police said. No survivors were found.
CNN has reached out to Laredo police for more information.
“It’s a very early phase of the investigation. There’s not a lot to reveal right now,” Baeza said, KGNS reported.
The immigration status and ages of the deceased are not yet known, Espinoza said.
US Customs and Border Protection referred CNN to the Laredo Police Department, saying “The incident remains under investigation by Laredo Police Department and Homeland Security Investigation and Texas Rangers.”
CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, HSI and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
“It’s a very unfortunate event,” Espinoza told CNN. “It was too many lives that were lost.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate state emergency response resources as a massive storm system threatens much of the state with hurricane-force winds, giant hail, and the risk of tornadoes.
Severe weather in Texas
The severe weather, expected to last through Monday morning, covers a vast footprint including West, North, East, Central, and South-Central Texas. Forecasters warned the system could produce wind gusts exceeding 75 mph and hail larger than 2 inches in diameter.
What they’re saying:
“Texas is prepared to confront the severe storms that pose a threat to communities all across our state,” Abbott said in a statement. He urged Texans to monitor local forecasts and warned motorists never to drive through flooded roadways, invoking the phrase, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
Heavy rainfall is expected to be widespread, with some areas potentially seeing isolated totals of 3 to 6 inches, which could lead to significant flash flooding. As the system progresses, the threat is expected to shift toward the South and Southeast Texas coasts.
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In preparation, the governor has deployed a wide array of state assets to assist local officials, including:
- Search and Rescue: Swiftwater and floodwater rescue boat squads and urban search and rescue teams from Texas A&M Task Forces 1, 2, and 3.
- Aviation and Marine Support: Helicopters with hoist capabilities from the Department of Public Safety and Texas Parks and Wildlife, as well as Tactical Marine Units.
- Infrastructure and Recovery: Texas Forest Service saw crews to clear debris from roads and Department of Transportation personnel to monitor highway conditions.
- Medical and Utility Support: Emergency medical task forces with ambulances and all-terrain vehicles, along with monitors from the Public Utility Commission to coordinate power outage responses.
State agencies are also monitoring the state’s natural gas supply and water quality as the storms move through.
Officials encouraged residents to assemble emergency kits and check road conditions at DriveTexas.org before attempting to travel.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Governor Greg Abbott Press Office.
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