Two Houston Cougars Invited to NFL Combine

Tanner Koziol, Tight End

Koziol was flat out one of the best tight ends in the country this past season and is expected to be one of the first Cougars off the board in the draft. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound prospect led all FBS tight ends with 65 receptions, while his 651 receiving yards ranked third among FBS tight ends and second in the Big 12. Both were the most by a Cougar tight end since 2008.

Koziol earned All-Big 12 First-Team and got second-Team honors from the AP. The Illinois native's five TDs were fourth-most by FBS tight ends. Koziol recorded multiple receptions in 23 consecutive games, and his 65 catches are 23rd nationally among all pass catchers. 

The four-time All-American added 17 contested catches, which is the best in the country among tight ends and second among all receivers. Koziol ended up ranked 86th in ESPN’s top 100 players of the 2025 season.

The Mackey Award semifinalist represented 30 percent of Houston’s completions on the season, which led tight ends nationally and ranked 15th among all receivers. He also accounted for 25 percent of the Cougars’ receiving yards, which placed him second among FBS tight ends.

The senior boasted an 82.9 receiving grade on the season from Pro Football Focus, ranked second among tight ends with 50+ targets. He added a great Texas Bowl performance with nine catches for 76 yards and one touchdown.

Koziol put up one 100-yard receiving game this season, which was against Arizona State, while posting 50 or more receiving yards in eight of Houston’s 12 games. He also caught a pass in 27 straight games, accounting for over half of his collegiate career. It was one of the longest streaks in the nation.

Latrell McCutchin Sr., Cornerback

The senior cornerback was a standout in Houston’s secondary. McCutchin Sr. transferred to Houston in 2023 and did not play a snap that season, but stood out the next year as a junior in 2024. McCutchin started all 12 games that season and was tied for third on that team in pass breakups. 

He took another step forward in 2025 as a senior. McCutchin Sr. earned second-team All Big 12 and a Second-Team pick by the AP. He posted the second-most pass breakups in the Big 12 with nine while adding two TFLs on the season. His 52 tackles marked a new single-season high, and his forced fumble at Arizona State continued his streak of having one forced fumble in every collegiate season played.

McCutchin Sr. was a three-star prospect out of Austin, Texas, and played both offense and defense as a cornerback and wide receiver. He initially attended Oklahoma in 2021 before transferring to USC in 2022. He contributed to their secondary in all 14 games, including starting in the Cotton Bowl vs. Tulane. 

Dean Connors, Carlos Allen Jr. and Eddie Walls III are also among seniors declaring for the draft but did not receive a combine invite.