Top 10 Texas Longhorns Stars in the NFL

10. Byron Murphy - Seattle Seahawks

Byron Murphy is tenth on this list but should be much higher in the next few seasons. The defensive tackle was selected 16th in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks after being a dominant force for the Longhorns as they made the College Football Playoff. His professional career has not taken off yet, with only six tackles and one half-sack, but Murphy is a special talent that should grow into a force for the Seahawks.

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2. Justin Tucker - Baltimore Ravens

Justin Tucker was at Texas from 2008 to 2011 and made 83.3 percent of his attempts for the Longhorns. He was not selected in the 2012 NFL Draft but signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent where he quickly established as the franchise’s kicker. Tucker has made a remarkable 89.7 percent of his attempts in his career. He has earned First-team All-Pro on five occasions and he was named the kicker for the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team.

3. Sam Cosmi - Washington Commanders

A Texas native, Sam Cosmi played for the Longhorns from 2017 to 2020 before being selected in Round 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft. Cosmi earned All-Big 12 honors in 2019 and 2020 as an offensive guard and has started 40 of his 48 career games. Cosmi has settled in at right guard for the Washington Commanders, signing a four-year contract extension in the 2024 offseason before helping lead one of the league’s most exciting young offenses.

4. Connor Williams - Seattle Seahawks

Another offensive lineman that was born in Texas and then starred for the Longhorns, Connor Williams was a center there from 2015 to 2017, earning All-American honors in 2015 and 2016. He was then drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft and he has started 81 of his 87 career games in the NFL. Williams played at left guard for the Cowboys and stayed in Dallas until 2022 when he signed a two-year deal with the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins switched him to center, and he played every offensive snap of the 2022 season. A groin injury sidelined him in 2023, and he signed a one-year deal to be the starting center for the Seattle Seahawks.

5. DeShon Elliott - Pittsburgh Steelers

DeShon Elliott was born in Dallas and played for the Texas Longhorns from 2015 to 2017. The safety was a unanimous All-American in 2017 before he left early for the draft. The Baltimore Ravens selected him in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. His NFL career got off to a rocky start as he missed the season with a fractured forearm. He began the 2019 season on the injured reserve list with a knee injury before finally seeing action in 2020. He started for the entirety of the 2021 season. He was a starter for the Detroit Lions in 2022 and played for the Miami Dolphins in 2023. Elliott is currently excelling on a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers and has 287 tackles in his career.

6. Jordan Hicks - Cleveland Browns

Veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks played for Texas from 2010 to 2014 before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Hicks was a part-time starter in 2015 and then moved into the starting lineup at middle linebacker in 2016. He won a Super Bowl with the Eagles, and has also played for the Cardinals and Vikings. He is currently with the Cleveland Browns. Hicks has 893 total tackles in his long career.

7. Charles Omenihu - Kansas City Chiefs

Charles Omenihu was the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2018 and was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. He never gained traction with Houston and was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in November 2021. His career finally took off as he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Omenihu has had a rocky career riddled with injuries and legal issues but he won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs after being a key pass rusher late in the 2024 season. Omenihu has 18.5 sacks in his career and could win another Super Bowl with the Chiefs this season.

8. Poona Ford - Los Angeles Chargers

Poona Ford is originally from South Carolina but he played for the Texas Longhorns from 2014 to 2017 and was the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year as a junior. He was surprisingly undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft and signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. Ford impressed the coaches and made the 53-man roster, appearing in 11 games as a rookie. He continued to play well for the Seahawks and started nearly every game for the next four seasons. His time in Seattle came to an end and he played the 2023 campaign with Buffalo and is now with the Los Angeles Chargers. Ford had 190 tackles through the 2023 season and has been a solid tackle for a long time.

9. Brandon Jones - Denver Broncos

Safety Brandon Jones played at Texas from 2016 to 2019, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2019. Jones was selected in the third round of the 2020 draft by the Miami Dolphins and he impressed at the safety position, playing for the Dolphins until 2023. He moved to Denver for the 2024 season and has 299 total tackles, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and four interceptions. Jones is on a three-year, $20 million contract with the Broncos.

10. Byron Murphy - Seattle Seahawks

Byron Murphy is tenth on this list but should be much higher in the next few seasons. The defensive tackle was selected 16th in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks after being a dominant force for the Longhorns as they made the College Football Playoff. His professional career has not taken off yet, with only six tackles and one half-sack, but Murphy is a special talent that should grow into a force for the Seahawks.

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