Texas Football: 3 potential gem Longhorn finds in the 2020 NFL Draft

Maybe the most underrated 2020 NFL Draft prospect coming out of the Texas football program is the former senior starting linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch. A senior campaign that was mired with inconsistency across the board on the defensive side of the ball for the Longhorns and with injuries for McCulloch could make him a gem find in this year’s draft.

During his senior campaign, McCulloch racked up 28 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and no pass deflections or fumbles. But McCulloch only got to play in eight of the 13 Longhorn games last fall. He was one of the breakthrough standout linebackers in the Big 12 in 2018, though.

In that solid junior season, McCulloch registered 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble. What also works in favor of McCulloch was his tendency, at least when healthy, to rise to the occasion when the moment called for it. That was true since his freshman campaign, when his two best games came in wins over the Iowa State Cyclones and Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The 6-foot-3 and 245 pound McCulloch was not invited to the 2020 NFL Draft Combine. So he’ll have to use the Texas Pro Day to really show off what he can do for the NFL scouts. Unless he has a massive Pro Day, or someone really buys into what he brings to the table ahead of day one, he’s likely to go out as an undrafted free agent.