Players with North Texas ties likely to be picked in the NFL Draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For 32 young players Thursday night's NFL Draft will be a dream come true.

Some players with North Texas connections are expected to hear their name called over the next few days in the draft.

Names Dallas Cowboys fans should know before the first round of the NFL Draft

Christian Gonzalez, CB - Oregon (The Colony High School)

Ranked 8th on FOX Sports Rob Rang's NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, Christian Gonzalez is expected to be the highest picked North Texan off the board. Gonzalez was born in Carrollton and attended The Colony High School, where he played both wide receiver and cornerback. Gonzalez combines rare size and speed with rapidly developing ball-skills, as his four interceptions in 2022 can attest.

Quentin Johnston, WR - TCU (Temple High School)

Ranked 15th on FOX Sports Rob Rang's NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, Quentin Johnston was one of the drivers behind TCU's National Championship run. The Horned Frog pass catcher has earned comparisons to Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals and Mike Williams of the Los Angeles Charges. Johnston offers the class's most exciting package of height, speed and ball-skills.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR - Ohio State (Rockwall High School)

Ranked 20th on FOX Sports Rob Rang's NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, Jaxon Smith-Njigba from Rockwall High School is expected to be one of the top pass catchers taken in the draft. During his senior year at Rockwall Smith-Njigba caught 35 touchdowns and won the Landry Award and the Texas Gatorade Football Player of the Year Award. He had a fantastic sophomore season in 2021 with the Buckeyes before playing just 3 games in 2022 due to a hamstring injury. His strong hands and slick moves after the catch project nicely to the next level.

Drew Sanders, OLB - Arkansas (Denton Ryan High School)

Ranked 56th on FOX Sports Rob Rang's NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, it is not likely that Drew Sanders will go in the first round, but crazier things have happened. Sanders grew up in Denton before playing football at Lake Dallas High School, Colleyville Heritage High School and Denton Ryan High School. A National Champion at Alabama before transfering to Arkansas, Sanders offers a unique blend of size, speed and athleticism, showing burst upfield as a pass rusher, as well as awareness and physicality behind the line of scrimmage.

Steve Avila, OL - TCU (South Grand Prairie High School)

Ranked 62nd on FOX Sports Rob Rang's NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, Steve Avila could be a pick for teams who want a player who is ready to step in right away. The South Grand Prairie HS product is among the most pro-ready interior offensive linemen in this class, Avila has extensive starting experience at both guard and center, frustrating opponents with his balance, power and tenacity.

Marvin Mims Jr., WR - Oklahoma (Frisco Lone Star High School)

Ranked 91st on FOX Sports Rob Rang's NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, Marvin Mims Jr., a Frisco Lone Star grad, could hear his named called on the second or third day of the draft. The wideout broke a national high school record with 2,629 yards in his senior year for Frisco Lone Star. 

TCU players who could be drafted

• Alan Ali, OL
• Steve Avila, OL
• Derius Davis, WR
• Max Duggan, QB
• Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, DB
• Dylan Horton, DL
• Quentin Johnston, WR
• Kendre Miller, RB
• Dee Winters, LB

University of Texas players who could be drafted

• Keondre Coburn, DL
• Roschon Johnson, RB
• Moro Ojomo, DL
• DeMarvion Overshown, LB
• Bijan Robinson, RB

Texas A&M players who could be drafted

• Devon Achane, RB
• Antonio Johnson, DB
• Jaylon Jones, DB

SMU players who could be drafted

• Rashee Rice, WR

FOX Sports contributed to this report