Every Big 12 football player dreams of playing in the National Football League (NFL). Since the start of the modern-day draft, NFL teams have selected Big 12 players an impressive 743 times. 98 were drafted in the first round. In the past two seasons, five former Big 12 stars have been picked up during their respective draft’s first round: Byron Murphy II, Xavier Worthy, Tyler Guyton, Anton Harrison, and Bijan Robinson. This article explores whether these talented youngsters have hit the ground running in football’s most prestigious competition.
Byron Murphy II – Defensive Tackle for the Seattle Seahawks
Byron Murphy II was the second defensive player and the first defensive tackle selected at the 2024 NFL Draft. The Seattle Seahawks selected Murphy III as the 16th overall pick. They tied him down to a four-year rookie contract with a fully guaranteed $16.083 million on the table. He was the 46th Texas Longhorn to be picked in the first round of an NFL Draft.
He had many accomplishments. From playing 39 games for the Longhorns, recording 70 tackles (32 solo), eight sacks, and being named the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, Murphy II entered the 2024 NFL Draft with a glowing reputation. The Seahawks needed defensive reinforcements after finishing 30th in the league for yards allowed in 2023. Murphy II fits the bill. Although the Seahawks were not considered the best pick for winning Super Bowl LIX, Murphy II gets to work alongside the highly-rated defensive coordinator Aden Durde.
Murphy II has played five games for the Seahawks in 2024, starting once. So far, he has 14 combined tackles and 0.5 sacks and looks to be finding his feet in the NFL.
Xavier Worthy – Wide Receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs used their 28th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to secure the services of wide receiver Xavier Worthy, another Texas Longhorn. After racking up 2,755 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in 39 games, Worthy forwent his senior year to enter the NFL Draft. At the 2024 NFL Combine, Worthy set the 40-yard dash record of 4.21 seconds. Worthy’s pace, combined with Patrick Mahomes’ arm, could be deadly in years to come.
Worthy signed a four-year, $13.79 million guaranteed rookie contract. He didn’t have long to make his professional debut or score his first NFL touchdown. Against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, Worthy caught two passes for 47 yards and one touchdown. He has since caught 19 of 37 passes aimed at him, gained 235 yards, and scored three touchdowns.
Tyler Guyton – Offensive Tackle for the Dallas Cowboys
Tyler Guyton was the 29th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. The former University of Oklahoma star is now part of the Dallas Cowboys roster. Standing at 6’7″ and weighing 322 pounds, Guyton is a mountain of a man who only allowed two sacks and no quarterback hits from 400 snaps during his first season in college football.
The Dallas Cowboys gave Guyton a four-year, $13.2 million rookie contract and wasted no time throwing the former Sooners offensive tackle into the mix.Transitioning back to left tackle after shining on the right in college, he started six games in 2024. Guyton has picked up six penalties in those six games, which he needed to iron out of his game, but overall, he can be pleased he’s enjoying regular game time at the AT&T Stadium.
Anton Harrison – Offensive Tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Anton Harrison was a four-star recruit in high school and committed to the Oklahoma Sooners despite having offers from Boston College, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State. After playing nine games in 2020, all 13 in 2021, and another 12 regular season games in 2022, Harrison declared himself for the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Harrison with their first pick, doing 27th overall in the first round. He signed a four-year, $13.198 million fully guaranteed contract. Then, he was on the first team. He started all 17 regular season games during his rookie season, being part of 96% of 1,113 available snaps.
Harrison’s career started brightly, with the Jaguars going 8-3 in 2023, but then losing five of their last six fixtures. That losing streak has continued into 2024, with the Jaguars 2-6 at the time of writing. However, the team’s downturn in fortunes has more to do with its defensive frailties than a lack of quarterback protection.
Bijan Robinson – Running Back for the Atlanta Falcons
After being named a unanimous All-American in 2022, following his 1,580 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns for the Texas Longhorns, Bijan Robinson looked destined to make it to the top. The Atlanta Falcons selected Robinson as the eighth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft’s first round, giving the running back a four-year, $21.96 fully guaranteed contract.
Robinson hit the ground running, pardon the pun, finishing his rookie season with 16 starts, 214 carries for 976 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns. Additionally, he had 58 receptions for 487 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
This season, Robinson is on course to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards. Through eight starts, Robinson has 116 carries, 546 rushing yards, and four touchdowns. The Falcons take on the Cowboys in Week 9, with the Cowboys’s run defense averaging 154.6 rushing yards conceded per game, the second-worst in the league. Robinson will be licking his lips in anticipation of potentially having his best single-game figures since turning pro.
Conclusion
All five former Big 12 players mentioned in this article regularly turn out for their respective NFL teams, which is a testament to the training and coaching they received during their college years. Although all five are at the beginning of their professional careers, each looks to have a big future in the game, and they serve as inspiration for up-and-coming Big 12 players now and in the future.
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