_Editor’s note: The following reflects the writer’s opinion and not necessarily the opinions of The Daily Texan staff as a whole. The measurements were sourced from the NFL Combine, and the player’s ages reflect how old they will be on draft night._
With the 2025 NFL Combine complete, draft season is in full swing. Nineteen Longhorns declared for this year’s draft with a program-record 14 participating in the Combine. The Daily Texan’s Carter Long evaluated film and graded those 14 players on predicted success and draft rounds.
**Jahdae Barron – Defensive Back** 5’11” • 200 lbs Age: 23
Barron is a versatile defender who does not neatly fit into any one position in the secondary. He does not quite have the hip flexibility of an elite outside corner, the size of a true nickel or the physicality of a box safety. The 2024 Jim Thorpe Award-winner is a very instinctual player who sorts through pre- and post-snap traffic with ease and always seems to be one step ahead of the offense. Barron is very technically sound but can be overly handsy at the top of the route. Overall, Barron is a chess piece who will fit best as a zone coverage focused slot corner/nickelback.
Final Grade: Late Round 1/Early Round 2.
**Matthew Golden – Wide Receiver** 5’11” • 191 lbs Age: 21
Golden’s 4.29 second 40-yard dash will have teams penciling him in as a deep threat — but make no mistake, he is an elite separator. Golden can stop and start on a dime and possesses an advanced understanding of how to manipulate defenders. He has great body control but is not an elite jump-ball receiver. Overall, Golden profiles as an off-ball outside receiver who will be a reliable winner at all three levels and come up with the occasional big play.
Final Grade: Late Round 1/Early Round 2.
**Andrew Mukuba – Safety** 5’11” • 186 lbs Age: 22
Mukuba has a nose for the football and consistently makes plays at the catch point. Despite being undersized, he plays physically and brings bigger guys down routinely. He played a variety of coverage assignments in Austin but will be limited in the NFL by his lack of true sideline-to-sideline speed. Overall, Mukuba is a high-motor deep half safety/nickelback who makes phenomenal plays on the ball but will need to overcome his size through sheer willpower.
Final Grade: Round 2.
**Quinn Ewers – Quarterback** 6’2” • 214 lbs Age: 22
Ewers lacks elite arm strength, great speed or a huge frame. He processes the field well but passes up risky deep shots for low-reward check downs and at times shows a lack of pocket awareness, not sensing blitzes or leaving clean pockets early. He has good if not great touch and placement on short and intermediate throws and can put real velocity on passes within 20 yards. He is a playmaker outside of the pocket and can throw the ball accurately on the run. Overall, Ewers is a heady short-intermediate operator who lacks elite physical traits but could thrive in a West Coast offense with the right supporting cast.
Final Grade: Late Round 2/Round 3.
**Isaiah Bond – Wide Receiver** 5’11” • 180 lbs Age: 20
Bond is a speedster who plays even faster than his 4.39 second 40-yard dash. When mentally engaged, Bond blocks above his weight class and tracks the ball well in the air. He also displays an aptitude for beating press coverage, a skill he needs at the next level as a smaller receiver. Overall, Bond is a deep threat who adds an immediate dimension of speed to any offense he joins, but who has a lot of work to do on the finer points of receiving.
Final Grade: Round 3/4.
**Gunnar Helm – Tight End** 6’5” • 241 lbs Age: 22
Helm is a classic safety-blanket inline tight end. He lacks the speed to threaten seams and the body control to run a full route tree but excels at finding soft spots between zones. His poor contact balance limits his ability to break tackles but he makes up for it with his shiftiness. Helm is an advanced pass protector and creates angles in the run game with his elite positioning. However, he often gets beat to the punch and is overpowered by stronger defenders. Overall, Helm is a technically sound 12-personnel weapon and a plus blocker.
Final Grade: Round 3/4.
**Jaydon Blue – Running Back** 5’9” • 196 lbs Age: 21
Blue’s superior long speed and good vision make him project well as a zone-runner in the NFL. He is a serious route runner who can separate from linebackers thanks to his speed, though he does drop passes outside of his frame. Blue is not a difficult player to bring down but is decently shifty. Overall, Blue projects to be a change-of-pace back with homerun speed and the ability to threaten defenses as a receiver out of the backfield.
Final Grade: Round 6/7.