2020 NFL Draft: Texas QB Sam Ehlinger returning to Texas
By Joseph Yun
After a letdown 2019 season for the Longhorns, quarterback Sam Ehlinger has decided he will not enter the 2020 NFL Draft and return to Texas.
Sam Ehlinger, he talented Longhorns signal caller for the Texas Longhorns posted on his Twitter account that he has decided to return for his senior season after an inconsistent 2019 that saw significant staff changes for his program. He did not match up well against the quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft and now has a year to sharpen his game.
Ehlinger posted a solid junior season in all aspects but the 10 interceptions doomed him as he threw for 3,664 yards on 454 attempts, good for a 65% completion percentage. His throws averaged around eight yards per attempt while leading Texas to an 8-5 record and a bowl win over the vaunted Utah defense. He also rushed for 663 yards and seven touchdowns on a team leading 163 carries.
Stylistically, one can reasonably infer that he is Tim Tebow / Josh Allen as a 6’3 230 pound athlete playing the quarterback position. Like the aforementioned Tebow, he isn’t afraid to make the physical run in between the tackles. He has the arm talent to make most of the big league throws required at the next level even if his accuracy is still developmental even as a junior. He has developed good pocket awareness in 2019 after a horrendous start in that regard to his college career.
Even with the change in offensive coordinators to now former Ohio State QB coach / Passing Game Coordinator Mike Yurcich, Ehlinger was wise to return for a senior season to learn under an OC who developed Justin Fields into an elite passer. Perhaps Yurcich can progress Ehlinger into something resembling a much more accurate Josh Allen during the 2020 season.