Jackson Jeffcoat News

Last season, the Texas Longhorns suffered quite a bit on the defensive side of the football, as did most of the Big 12.

Colleague Mel Kiper is counting down his top five at each position looking ahead to next year's NFL draft, and tackled the wide receivers first.

The spring evaluation period has produced plenty of new targets for the Texas Longhorns and a handful of new offers, including one that went out on Friday evening to Dallas Skyline defensive end Victor Evans.

The Big 12 had three players selected in the first round of last month's NFL draft, but it could be an even quieter opening night next year.

Two Texas Longhorns defensive players - Jackson Jeffcoat and Quandre Diggs - appear in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s earliest 2014 big board.

For the majority of his tenure, Mack Brown has been able to produce both wins and NFL careers for his Texas Longhorns.

November 3, 2012; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Ryan Shazier tackles Illinois Fighting Illini running back Donovonn Young after a short gain at Ohio Stadium.

Just over three years ago, the Texas Longhorns football program was coming off the massively disappointing loss to Alabama in the national championship game, but the narrative was much different -- it was considered the golden era of Longhorn sports.

Colleague Todd McShay released his first list of the top 32 prospects in the 2014 draft, which is only, oh, about 12 months away.

The Texas Longhorns made a modest splash in the recent draft, as Kenny Vaccaro, Marquise Goodwin and Alex Okafor all landed within the top four rounds.

With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, the Texas football program can now set its sights on a promising 2013 season.

The ink is barely dry on the 2013 NFL Draft sheets, but already scouts are looking ahead to the 2014 NFL Draft .

The problems were especially bad in the secondary - and especially, especially bad against Oklahoma.