2015 NFL Draft Shows Charlie Strong Can Develop Talent

Leave it to the 2015 NFL Draft to show Texas fans that Charlie Strong can coach.

Texas and Louisville had a combined 15 players drafted this weekend. The Cardinals had 10 of those picks. All 10 of those players were coached by Strong.

You can say that the five Longhorns selected were a product of the Mack Brown era. That may be true to a degree, but the more likely scenario was that Strong pushed these players to get the most out of them. The end result showed up this weekend.

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Malcolm Brown would probably have been drafted whether Brown or Strong was coaching him. The same could be said for Quandre Diggs. These two put in the work to get better at their craft and getting drafted had a lot to do with their determination rather than what the new coaching staff did.

The same can’t be said for the other three players selected.

Jordan Hicks battled injuries throughout his career. The 2014 season was his first full season since 2011. He worked hard to get back on the field and stay on it. He seemed rejuvenated under the new coaching staff. The Philadelphia Eagles thought highly enough of him to draft the linebacker in the third round.

Mykkele Thompson was not a very good tackler going into last season. That all changed under Strong. Thompson shored up this weak spot in his game and impressed the New York Giants, who selected him in the fifth round. Thompson wasn’t projected to be drafted, but the Giants saw something that warranted the pick.

Texas Longhorns

Geoff Swaim didn’t catch many passes in his career at Texas. One thing he did do, however, was become a dependable blocker. His blue-collar work ethic epitomizes what Strong is about – work hard and do your job. The Dallas Cowboys used a seventh round pick on Swaim and he will get the opportunity to continue his playing career at the next level.

One player who didn’t get drafted was Cedric Reed. Reed had a down year in 2014 after breaking out in 2013. A knee injury is believed to be the culprit. Despite the injury Reed battled through it and came to play every Saturday. He will get a chance as an UFDA with the Buffalo Bills. Reed has a decent chance of making the team since the Bills did not spend a pick on a defensive lineman.

The 2015 NFL draft showed fans that the future is bright. The 6-7 campaign is history. Recruits will look at the number of players selected from Louisville and Texas and realize that Strong has the ability to get the most out of a player. For those with aspirations of playing at the next level, Texas just got that much more attractive.