One of the Longhorns running backs is moving on to the NFL. On Sunday night, Jaydon Blue declared for the NFL Draft on social media. After three memorable years in Austin, Blue will be looking to build on his success and become a valuable contributor at the next level.
During his time in Austin, Blue recorded 1,161 rushing yards on 214 carries. He was also a threat in the passing game, hauling in 56 receptions for 503 yards. While Blue steadily improved each season, his 2024 campaign was his best.
In 15 games as a junior, Blue set career highs in rushing yards with 730 and touchdowns with eight. After CJ Baxter was injured in the preseason, Blue was asked to take on a more significant workload and took advantage of his opportunity. Over the last few weeks, the Houston native has seen his stock rise with a stellar postseason run. That includes a two-touchdown effort against Ohio State on Friday night.
Blue joins Longhorns starting left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who also announced he was entering the draft on Sunday night. That number could grow in the coming days, with the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft set for Wednesday.
While, unlike Banks, Blue is not projected to be a first-round pick, he still could be a valuable contributor to an NFL team. That was on display in the playoffs when he was a scoring machine during his final weeks as a Longhorn.
Although Blue’s focus now shifts to the next part of his football journey, he leaves behind a memorable legacy in Austin.
