Malik "Manny" Muhammad was a huge part of Texas' defense over the past two seasons as a full-time starter on former DC Pete Kwiatkowski's defense. Now, he's at the NFL Combine preparing for the draft, and he hasn't forgotten about the people who have helped him get to this point.
He discussed quite a few things when he was at the podium during his media session, but it was great to hear that he's still incredibly thankful to his former teammates who've helped him become what he is today.
"I had great mentors, like older guys, as far as Jahdae [Barron], [T'Vondre] Sweat, Xavier Worthy, Quinn Ewers but it grown well over the course of my three years at Texas. Just being able pick gems off those guys and them telling me when your times comes you're going to have to do this, do that, do this."
Learned from the best 🤘@Returnof7 x #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/VYrIYCIN4V
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) February 26, 2026
One of Muhammad's most attractive qualities is his mental acuity. He's an extremely heady and smart player, and he's seen as one of the more "pro-ready" cornerbacks in the 2026 class. This is because he already knows what to expect in certain situations on the field, and it's undoubtedly due to his connection with former Texas All-American and current Denver Broncos CB Jahdae Barron.
He's taken on-field and off-field advice from his former teammates, which has helped mold him into the type of dominant corner that he was in the SEC in 2024 and 2025. Muhammad and Barron were one of, it not the top cornerback duos in all of college football in 2024.
As of right now, Muhammad is currently projected to be selected in the 3rd round, which is excellent for his prospects because this year's draft class is loaded with top-tier talent in the secondary.