The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2023 NFL Draft recap and notes
05.02.2023 | Football
Texas had five players selected in this year’s draft; seventh time in 18 yeas with five or more selections.
AUSTIN, Texas – The 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City, Mo. featured five Longhorn selections over the three-day process and two players signing as undrafted free agents following the conclusion of the draft. With five draft selections, Texas had at least five players chosen for the second time in three years and seventh time in the last 17 drafts.
On the opening day, running back Bijan Robinson was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round with the eighth overall pick, and one day later linebacker DeMarvion Overshown was taken with the 90th overall pick in the third round by the Dallas Cowboys. Texas has had at least two players chosen in the first three rounds of the draft in 17 of the last 23 drafts. It also marked the 56th time in the last 62 years (since 1962) that the Longhorns had two or more picks in the NFL Draft.
Day three of the draft saw the Chicago Bears select running back Roschon Johnson in the fourth round, defensive lineman Keondre Coburn was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the sixth round, and the Philadelphia Eagles picked defensive lineman Moro Ojomo in the seventh round.
In the days following the draft, two Longhorns signed as rookie free agents with NFL teams:
• Defensive back Anthony Cook – Kansas City
• Defensive back D'Shawn Jamison – San Francisco
Texas had success in 2022 with its undrafted group. Despite not having a player selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, six Longhorns ended up signing as free agents. Three from that class were on NFL rosters last season, including Cameron Dicker (Los Angeles Chargers), Brendan Schooler (New England Patriots) and Josh Thompson (Tennessee Titans).
NFL Draft Notes
• Texas has had 356 players selected in the NFL Draft.
• There have been 45 Longhorns selected in the first round. Three (Tommy Nobis, 1966; Earl Campbell, 1978; Kenneth Sims, 1982) have been selected first overall.
Bijan Robinson is the 45th first-round NFL draft choice in Texas history, the last occurring in 2015 when Malcom Brown was selected 32nd overall by the New England Patriots.
• Robinson is the first Texas running back selected in the first round since Cedric Benson was drafted fourth overall by the Chicago Bears in 2005 and the first Longhorn running back drafted since D'Onta Foreman was chosen in the third round of the 2017 draft by the Houston Texans.
• Robinson is the sixth Texas player drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in program history and the first since defensive tackle Ta'Quon Graham was picked in the fifth round of the 2021 draft.
• Robinson is the second Longhorn chosen in the first round by Atlanta, joining Tommy Nobis who was the number one overall pick in 1966.
• Robinson is the first Longhorn selected in the top-10 since Vince Young (2006), and 24th top-10 selection all-time and the first Longhorn selected with the eighth overall pick in the draft.
• With DeMarvion Overshown's selection, it marked the sixth time in the last 12 NFL Drafts that a Texas linebacker has been selected and the 26th time overall.
• Overshown is the 12th Texas player drafted by the Cowboys in program history and the first since offensive lineman Connor Williams was picked in the second round of the 2018 draft.
• Roschon Johnson is the third Texas running back drafted in the last seven years, joining teammate Bijan Robinson (2023) and D'Onta Foreman (2017).
• Coupled with Robinson's selection in the first round on Thursday, Texas had two running backs drafted in the same year for the first time since 1982 when Rodney Tate was selected in the fourth round by the Cincinnati Bengals and A.J. "Jam" Jones was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams in the eighth round.
• With Robinson (1st Round/8th/Atlanta Falcons) selected in the first-round of the NFL Draft and Johnson (4th Rounds/115th/Chicago Bears) picked in round four, it marks the first time a Longhorn running back duo was ever selected in the first four rounds of the common NFL Draft (since 1967). Along with this year, 1982, 1963, 1955, 1947, 1944 and 1942 mark the only times two Longhorn running backs have been taken in the first eight rounds of any draft, with 1982 and this year being the only time that has happened in the common draft era.
• Johnson is the 28th Texas player drafted by the Bears in program history and the first since defensive end Henry Melton was picked in the fourth round of the 2009 draft. Johnson is the first Texas running back to be drafted by Chicago since Cedric Benson in 2005.
• Keondre Coburn's selection marked the 23rd Texas defensive lineman taken in the NFL Draft since 2000.
• Coburn is the ninth Longhorn drafted all-time by the Chiefs and the first since Jamaal Charles was picked in the third round of the 2008 draft.
• Coburn is the third defensive lineman to be chosen by the Chiefs, joining Ken Hackemack (1990; 5th round) and Eric Holle (1984; 5th round).
• Moro Ojomo's selection made him the 24th Texas defensive lineman taken in the NFL Draft since 2000. Coupled with Keondre Coburn's selection in the sixth round, Texas had two defensive linemen selected in the same draft for the second time in three years.
• Ojomo is the 23rd Longhorn drafted all-time by the Eagles, and the first since linebacker Jordan Hicks was picked in the third round of the 2015 draft.
• Texas has had 24 defensive linemen drafted in the last 24 NFL Drafts (dating back to the 2000 draft)
• Texas set an NFL record when at least one player was taken in 76 consecutive drafts (1938-2013).
• UT holds the record for most players taken in a single draft, with 17 Longhorns being selected in 1984.
• The Longhorns have had at least three players drafted in 16 of the last 21 NFL Drafts, including five players in 2023, dating back to the 2003 edition.
• Of the 24 Longhorns selected in the previous 10 NFL Drafts, 21 are still on rosters or played last season. That includes all 16 from the past seven drafts. Additionally, 12 Longhorns who signed after the past 10 NFL Drafts are still on rosters or played last season.
Free Agents from previous 10 NFL Drafts still active or played last season:
Calvin Anderson
Andrew Beck
Tarik Black
Malcolm Brown
Cameron Dicker
Poona Ford
Lil' Jordan Humphrey
PJ Locke
Adrian Phillips
Malcolm Roach
Brenden Schooler
Josh Thompson
All-Time Longhorn RBs picked in the First Round (Four in Top 10)
• Earl Campbell (1, 1978)
• Cedric Benson (4, 2005)
• Ricky Williams (5, 1999)
• Bijan Robinson (8, 2023)
• Eric Metcalf (13, 1989)
