Texas Longhorns drafted into the NFL 2021
The 2021 NFL Draft concluded with five Texas Longhorns players being drafted out of eight Longhorns players in this year’s draft. Sam Cosmi was drafted the 19th pick in the 2nd round going to the Washington Football Team, Joseph Ossai the 5th pick in the 3rd round going to Cincinnati Bengals, Ta'quon Graham the 4th pick in the 5th round to the Atlanta Falcons, and Caden Sterns the 8th pick in the 5th round to the Denver Broncos.
Sam Ehlinger was drafted the 34th pick in the 6th round to the Indianapolis Colts. Ehlinger spent time sharing his thoughts with the Longhorns nation...listen in.
![2021 NFL Draft: Sam Ehlinger Media Availability [May 1, 2021]](https://i0.wp.com/i.ytimg.com/vi/xluM5IGwY-U/hqdefault.jpg?w=800&ssl=1)
During the media availability Ehlinger's phone did not stop getting messages coming in, no doubt, from friends, family, and well wishers.
When Ehlinger declared for the draft shortly after the Alamo Bowl, we did a tribute to him and his career as the Texas Longhorns quarterback. Ehlinger being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts makes this picture even more meaningful. In August 2017 as a freshman, Ehlinger was learning from Peyton Manning.
Now, Ehlinger is going to The House Manning Built, Lucas Oil Stadium.
Here is the moment Ehlinger received the phone call from the Colts.
Samuel Cosmi was selected by the Washington Football Team on Friday as the 51st overall pick in the second round. Cosmi is the 15th Longhorns player selected by Washington. Cosmi was a starting linemen since arriving at UT in 2018 and appeared in all 35 games for Texas. Listed at 6'7" tall and weighing 309 pounds, Cosmi scored a touchdown in 2019 against West Virginia.
Cosmi is the first Longhorns offensive linemen to be drafted into the NFL since 2018. During 2021 Pro Day, Cosmi ran the 40-yard dash in 4.84 and benched 225 pounds, 36 times.
Cosmi is from Humble, Texas along with other notable people such as: Howard Hughes, NFL players Jackie Battle and Bertrand Berry, contemporary Christian singer David Meece.
Joseph Ossai was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 3rd round and was 69th overall pick. Ossai is a disrupter on the field. After games, then head coach Tom Herman would comment on Ossai saying he only knows one speed.
In Ossai's three-year career at Texas, the 6'4" 253 lb part defensive end part linebacker or JACK (now called Edge for Cincinnati), would record 165 tackles, 18.4% (30.5) of them for a loss, 11 sacks, five forced fumbles, three pass break-ups, and two interceptions.
Here is the moment Ossai matched his career high sixth tackle for loss against OSU that won the first game against a top-10 team since 2010.
For the 2021 Pro Day held in Austin, Texas Ossai delivered an excellent performance for scouts. Ossai recorded a 41.5 inch vertical jump, just one-half inch shorter than Caden Sterns. Ossai had a standing long jump of 10' and 11.5" just behind Tarik Black's 11'.
The moment Joseph Ossai gets the call.
Ta'Quon Graham was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons as the 148th overall in the 5th round. Graham is only the fifth player in Longhorns history to be drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and the first since 2007 when offensive lineman Justin Blalock was drafted by the Falcons.
Graham was a team captain in 2020 and over his career at Texas mounted 72 tackles, 23 of those tackles for a loss (TFL), seven sacks in 48 games.
During Pro Day, Graham impressed NFL scouts with bench pressing 225 lbs. 32 times, only 4 less than Ossai. and clocking a 4.93 in the 40-yard dash.
The Atlanta Falcons owner made the announcement of Ta'Quon Graham being their pick.
The moment when he learned he was going to be a professional football player for the Falcons and his family smothers him in love.
Caden Sterns was drafted by the Denver Broncos as the 152nd overall pick in the 5th round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Sterns is the sixth Longhorns player drafted by the Denver Broncos and first since 2007 when Tim Crowder was drafted to Denver.
Sterns joins fellow Cibolo, Texas native and former Texas Longhorn Malcom Brown who currently plays running back for the Los Angeles Rams, in the NFL
In 2020, Sterns was named one of four team captains and recorded 50 tackles of which 30 were solo tackles. In Sterns final collegiate game against Iowa State he recorded 13 tackles of which 7 where solo.
For Pro Day, the 6'1" Sterns had a vertical jump of 42" and a 4.40 in the 40-yard dash.
Denver Broncos General Manager George Paton makes the draft announcement.
The best moment is with family.
