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Texas Longhorns' Jahdae Barron Still Remains Unsigned
Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron celebrates a sack against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Roughly a month and a half after the 2025 NFL Draft, the vast majority of first-round picks have signed their rookie deals and are fully ready to take the field when the season rolls around.

That's not the case for former Texas Longhorns cornerback Jahdae Barron, however.

The No. 20 overall pick by the Denver Broncos, Barron is one of just three first-round picks yet to sign his rookie deal, according to NFL.com's tracker . The only others are Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, the No. 2 pick out of Colorado, and Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Shemar Stewart, the No. 17 pick out of Texas A&M.

Unlike Stewart, who is in a highly public dispute with the Bengals over the language of his contract, Barron doesn't seem to have an explicit reason for still remaining unsigned, and there may not even be one at all. Some draft picks end up signing later than others, and that's OK.

Despite remaining unsigned, Barron impressed the Broncos enough for them to spend a first-round pick on him despite having reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II at corner.

"[Head coach Sean Payton and I] couldn't stop watching him," Broncos general manager George Paton said in April, per ESPN. "Just the instincts and participation, route awareness, zone coverage, really sticking to [his] man, doesn't give up any completions.

"This guy's really good in the run game, a really good tackler, really good blitzer. He plays all over the field. He just kind of fits everything we're looking for in a player."

A Corpus Christi, Texas, native, Barron was a leader in the Longhorns' secondary throughout his three years as a starter. Over that time, he had 20 passes defended and eight interceptions - including five last year, tied for the most in the SEC with Texas teammate Andrew Mukuba and South Carolina's Jalon Kilgore. He also excelled at both corner and safety, and that positional versatility undoubtedly boosted his draft stock.


This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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