AUSTIN, Texas — Another Longhorns star is heading to the NFL.
On Saturday, junior tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders announced his intention to enter the 2024 NFL Draft, according to a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel.
During his time on the Forty Acres, Sanders was one of the Longhorns' key offensive pieces, especially so during the 2023 season that saw the team reach the College Football Playoff for the first time.
In his senior campaign, Sanders racked up 45 catches for 682 yards and two touchdowns, including six catches for 79 yards in the Longhorns' Sugar Bowl loss to Washington. For his career, Sanders totaled 99 receptions for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns.
Sanders joins a laundry list of Longhorns stars who have announced their intentions to enter the NFL Draft since the team's Sugar Bowl loss. On Wednesday, star running back Jonathon Brooks and standout defensive tackle Byron Murphy II announced their entries into the 2024 NFL Draft. Those announcements followed a Tuesday declaration from wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
Sanders is widely regarded as the second-best tight end in the class, behind only Georgia's Brock Bowers.
More Longhorns are expected to announce their future plans in the imminent future, including quarterback Quinn Ewers and wide receiver A.D. Mitchell, both of whom still retain a year of college eligibility.
All four players who have declared early are projected to be first, second or third-round selections, meaning they would hear their names called during the first two days of the NFL Draft. Senior defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat is also expected to be an early round selection.
The 2024 NFL Draft takes place in Detroit from April 25-27.