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Denver Broncos Draft Texas Star Jahdae Barron

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nicholas Simon | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 10:25 PM ET

Texas Longhorns cornerback Jahdae Barron was selected by the Denver Broncos with the No. 20 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday. He became the first Texas defensive back to be taken in the first round since Earl Thomas was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in 2010.

Barron now enters the professional ranks after establishing himself as a program legend on the Forty Acres. An Austin native, he decided to stay home and commit to the Longhorns as a four-star prospect in 2020.

Receiving sporadic playing time through his first two seasons, Barron finally began to make an impact as a regular stater for Texas in 2022. A breakout campaign that year was followed up with another excellent year where he earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors in 2023.

As a fifth-year senior in 2024, the Austin product saved his best performance for last, winning the Jim Thorpe Award with 67 combined tackles, 11 passes defended, and an SEC-leading five interceptions on the year. Barron played a crucial role in Texas' run to the College Football Playoff semifinals and that was best exemplified with his dominant effort against Arizona State in the Peach Bowl.

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein described the 5'11", 194-pound Barron as a big nickel corner who has great instincts and can play smothering coverage underneath. While his skills are apparent, his tackle techniques and recovery speed are weaknesses that needs to be worked on in the pros. Zierlein compared him to defensive back Tykee Smith, who just wrapped up a productive rookie campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

We'll see how the Texas legend will fare now that he finally gets to live out his NFL dreams.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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