AUSTIN: Even though Jonathan Brooks suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the middle of November, he played like one of the nation’s best running backs through the first ten games of the season, leading the Texas Longhorns to a Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff appearance.
Following a junior year in which he recorded 187 carries for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns along with 25 receptions for 286 yards and another score, he declared for the 2024 NFL Draft after the season finished. For that reason, Brooks was named to the Second Team of the Big 12. Many draft analysts still rank him as the greatest running back in this year’s class, and his play was so good that the long-term worry about his injury barely affected his value.
During an appearance on the Behind The Facemask podcast with former Longhorns standout Alex Okafor, Brooks opened up about his thought process before declaring for the draft and how the fear of another injury impacted his decision.
During an appearance on the Behind The Facemask podcast with former Longhorns standout Alex Okafor, Brooks opened up about his thought process before declaring for the draft and how the fear of another injury impacted his decision.
“Say for instance I go back to Texas, God forbid I have an injury, like it’s a season-ending, career-ending. I don’t go to the league at all, now all my dreams and aspirations are kinda gone in my head,” Brooks said. When he kept hearing positive draft feedback despite the ACL tear, the decision was made easier. “Coming off an injury, I’m still getting better reports than I imagined when the day (the injury) happened,” Brooks said. ” … It’s satisfying knowing that in a couple of months I’ll be able to change my life and my family’s life.”