4 former elite Texas recruits bound to be first-round NFL Draft picks

Honorable mentions

Lewis Cine, S

One of the Texas natives in the 2022 NFL Draft class that could be a first-round pick is the former highly touted four-star recruit and Georgia Bulldogs standout junior safety Lewis Cine. The reigning National Champion was a stud for the Dawgs in the last couple of seasons.

And back during his recruiting in the 2019 cycle, Cine was heavily pursued by former Texas head coach Tom Herman and his staff. Texas was actually one of the top schools at the time in the race to land a commitment from Cine. But he would ultimately end up committing to head coach Kirby Smart and the Dawgs.

Christian Harris, LB

Another SEC defensive prospect in this NFL Draft class that was heavily pursued by the Longhorns during his recruitment is the reigning National Champion runner-up and Alabama Crimson Tide junior linebacker Christian Harris. The former touted four-star recruit and Baton Rouge, LA, native had one of his last unofficial visits come with the Texas staff before ultimately committing to two different schools.

Harris’ recruitment ultimately boiled down to the Texas A&M Aggies and Alabama. Texas A&M was the first school he committed to in 2018. He would then essentially flip his pledge from Texas A&M to Alabama in late November 2018.

Jermaine Johnson II, DE

The former Georgia and Florida State Seminoles senior defensive end Jermaine Johnson II is one of the better stories among the potential first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft class. Johnson’s story traces back to “Last Chance U”/Independence Community College, where he made a name for himself prior to getting recruited to Georgia as the top JUCO prospect in the entire country.

Texas was one of the schools that recruited Johnson out of ICC a few cycles ago. But he would ultimately end up picking Georgia before having an up and down collegiate career that ended at Florida State last season.