Texas showed interest in recruiting NFL star Patrick Mahomes at the defensive back position.
The highly talented quarterback from the Texas Longhorns, Quinn Ewers, sealed the game with a decisive touchdown in an exhilarating Peach Bowl.
The Texas squad, advancing to the Cotton Bowl, boasts another promising prospect in Arch Manning, who could potentially secure the top spot in the NFL draft as its first overall pick.
However, when it comes to the current elite NFL quarterbacks, Texas opted to recruit him as a defensive player.
Over a decade ago, the Longhorns considered recruitment of local hero, three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, now the NFL's highest-paid player with a $450 million contract, for their defensive team.
"It was somewhat true," Mahomes confided exclusively. "I was young then, still in my sophomore year of high school. I played as a safety and wasn't as tall as I am now, scoring five or six interceptions. So, it wasn't that surprising some teams looked at me as a safety prospect."
Mahomes wasn't just an interception machine; he was swift as well.
Though he recorded a relatively slow 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash during the 2017 NFL combine (only 6th among quarterbacks), he achieved the best 20-yard shuttle time (4.08 seconds) among all quarterbacks, likewise surpassed by only six defensive backs.
Yet despite this speed advantage, he lacked a crucial asset.
"I didn’t tackle anyone," Mahomes joked. "I guess they didn't watch the footage of me tackling, just those of me getting interceptions."
Mahomes as a DB
Tackling might have been off Mahomes' list, but he proved difficult to bring down due to his agility and elusiveness.
If he had chosen the defensive back position, his quickness might have shone there as well.
His agility was evident in the shuttle drill, where he skillfully navigated through haphazard zig-zags to the right and left, touching specified lines with his outstretched hands.
His short-range quickness, lateral movement skills, and ability to change direction enabled him to evade the pocket with ease.
Even after spraining his ankle, he managed to net the second-highest rushing yards on his team (33) and even scored a thrilling 15-yard touchdown against the Houston Texans' defense.
"I didn't believe he'd be able to move like that or run like that, but he managed to pull it off," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. "He's just too resilient and tough."
Mahomes as a DB?
Texas never reached out to Mahomes about his potential as a quarterback.
"No, they didn’t," Mahomes revealed. "I wasn't highly sought-after in terms of recruiting. I only had three Division I offers coming out of high school, so Texas wasn't on my radar either."
While Texas picked up Jerrod Heard in 2014, the institutions who recognized Mahomes' true potential as a quarterback reportedly include:Oklahoma State, Rice, and Texas Tech.
Mahomes ultimately chose the latter and went on to amass 11,252 passing yards, 93 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions in 29 starts at Texas Tech from 2014 to 2016.
As for how close Mahomes came to becoming a defensive back instead, he had this to share, "Not even close at all because I remember attempting a tackle in my third game and injuring my shoulder. After that, I made up my mind, 'I will never attempt tackling again.'"
After securing a contract worth $450 million, making him the NFL's highest-paid player, Patrick Mahomes reflects on his recruitment days, sharing that the Texas Longhorns considered him as a defensive player due to his impressive interception skills and speed during his high school years. Despite Texas Tech showing interest in Mahomes as a quarterback, he ultimately chose to play college football with them and went on to have a successful career, amassing over 11,000 passing yards and 90 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Jerrod Heard joined the Texas Longhorns as a quarterback in 2014, while Quinn Ewers, a highly-touted prospect, is currently steering the Texas Longhorns in a new direction.
