Texas Colleges - Represented in 2014 NFL Draft

The 2014 NFL draft is being well-represented by Texas colleges.  This does not take into consideration the Texas athletes that are playing for schools outside of the state.  The order you see below is based on their draft grade.

The draft will be held on May 8-10

GRADE	TITLE
9.00-10	Once-in-lifetime player
8.00-8.99	Perennial All-Pro
7.50-7.99	Future All-Pro
7.00-7.49	Pro Bowl-caliber player
6.50-6.99	Chance to become Pro Bowl-caliber player
6.00-6.49	Should become instant starter
5.50-5.99	Chance to become NFL starter
5.20-5.49	NFL backup or special teams potential
5.01-5.19	Better-than-average chance to make NFL roster
5	50-50 Chance to make NFL roster
4.75-4.99	Should be in an NFL training camp
4.50-4.74	Chance to be in an NFL training camp
NO GRADE	Likely needs time in developmental league.

PLAYER	POS	HT	WT	COLLEGE	GRADE
Matthews, Jake	OT	6'5"	308	Texas A&M	7.2
Evans, Mike	WR	6'5"	231	Texas A&M	6.4
Manziel, Johnny	QB	6'0"	207	Texas A&M	6.1
Verrett, Jason	CB	5'9"	189	TCU	5.9
Amaro, Jace	TE	6'5"	265	Texas Tech	5.5
Richardson, Cyril	OG	6'5"	329	Baylor	5.4
Dixon, Ahmad	SS	6'0"	212	Baylor	5.2
Seastrunk, Lache	RB	5'9"	201	Baylor	5.2
Gaines, Phillip	CB	6'0"	193	Rice	5.2
Davis, Mike	WR	6'0"	197	Texas	5.2
Jeffcoat, Jackson	DE	6'3"	247	Texas	5.2
Westbrooks, Ethan	DE	6'3"	267	West Texas A&M	5.2
Reese, Tevin	WR	5'10"	163	Baylor	5.1
Chancellor, Brelan	WR	5'9"	188	North Texas	5.1
Byndom, Carrington	CB	5'11"	180	Texas	5.1
Whaley, Chris	DT	6'3"	269	Texas	5.1
Askew, Nate	OLB	6'3"	241	Texas A&M	5.1
Slaughter, Nathan	WR	5'9"	184	West Texas A&M	5.1
Goodson, Demetri	CB	5'11"	194	Baylor	5
Boswell, Chris	K	6'2"	185	Rice	5
Acker, Kenneth	CB	6'0"	190	SMU	5
Gilbert, Garrett	QB	6'4"	221	SMU	5
Phillips, Dashaun	CB	5'11"	182	Tarleton St.	5
Hopkins, Trey	OG	6'3"	307	Texas	5
Malena, Ben	RB	5'8"	193	Texas A&M	5
Fera, Anthony	K	6'1"	211	Texas	4.9
Hyder, Kerry	DT	6'2"	290	Texas Tech	4.9
Vaughan, Dustin	QB	6'5"	235	West Texas A&M	4.9
Najvar, Jordan	TE	6'6"	256	Baylor	4.8
Bauer, Cody	DE	6'4"	249	Rice	4.8
Flanders, Timothy	RB	5'9"	207	Sam Houston St.	4.8
Hawkins, Don	OT	6'4"	295	Texas	4.8
Yendrey, D.J.	DT	6'3"	274	Texas St.	4.8
Pachall, Casey	QB	6'4"	216	TCU	4.7
Allen, Torrence	WR	6'0"	183	West Texas A&M	4.7

*All grades are from NFL.com 

'Master' Willie Nelson - 5th Degree Black Belt

Ralph Barrera/AP

Source: Dallas Morning News
Published: 29 April 2014 11:27 AM

The country music icon who turns 81 this week received his fifth-degree black belt in the martial art of Gong Kwon Yu Sul on Monday night, parking his tour bus outside the Austin studio of his instructor who began teaching him two decades ago.

Nelson didn’t show off his chops but Grand Master Sam Um assured a packed room that the “Red Headed Stranger” could hold his own against anyone. As is typically the case wherever Nelson goes, other celebrities were close: this time Austin resident Lance Armstrong tiptoed past parents of other students to see his fellow Texan honored.

“Honestly, I was surprised to be getting this degree,” Nelson said on his bus before the ceremony. “I don’t know what else is out there. I never thought about anything beyond second-degree black belt.”

Nelson’s birthday is Wednesday — though he’s claimed before that the date is really April 29, a day earlier. He said a doctor gave him a clean bill of health earlier Monday during an annual exam.

The singer gives martial arts a lot of credit for that. Although off stage he’s more famously known for more mellow interests — like smoking pot — Nelson said he stays physical whenever possible. He’s also a runner and avid bike rider.  (Finish Story... Read More >>)

The Associated Press

Texas Tech's Kingsbury Challenges Players

Looks like Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury is making national news again since his comparisons to Ryan Gosling.  In an effort to stay relevant and to connect with his players, Kingsbury challenges his players to a 'stanky-leg' dance off.

Check out the video:

TopGolf

Friday night. School’s out, you get to leave the office, and you have the whole weekend ahead of you. The biggest question on your mind at this point is “what is there to do?” Well if you want a break from the ordinary, you should check out TopGolf. 

TopGolf is a Texas based company that offers a unique entertainment experience through golf. This isn’t your grandfather’s  golf course though. The layout consists of golfing stations set up in rows facing the target field. There are multiple stories of rows, and they all face the field that has several targets scattered around the field. 

The thing that sets TopGolf apart from traditional golf is that the golf balls used in TopGolf have microchips in them that allow you to see exactly where your ball ended up. With this high tech gadgetry, you are able to play several games such as distance and accuracy games. And the best part is that you never have to go search for your ball. You can stay put, hit a few balls, and enjoy some food and drinks with friends. There are multiple locations throughout Texas, with a new location in The Colony opening up this fall. So if you want to try something new this weekend, be sure to go check out TopGolf. It’s a blast, and with prices starting at $20 an hour for a row that can accommodate up to 5 people, it won’t break the bank either. 

Football Time

We all know that football is a big deal here in Texas. High school football is a major event that brings communities together and keeps students focused on staying in school. It attracts people from all different ages and genders, and it's something that is rooted deeply in the Texan lifestyle.

College football is similar to the high school football experience, but it's even more intense. With so many colleges here in Texas that have strong football programs, it could even be said that it's followed more intently than pro football. The $744 average transaction price of a ticket to the A&M vs Alabama game makes this a viable argument (it also makes it the most expensive college football ticket of 2013).

So Texans love football, but with so many teams to keep up with, accidentally missing games is an unfortunate possibility. Thankfully, there are websites such as MaxPreps and ESPN that can keep us organized and informed on when our favorite teams play. So from everyone at TWT, we wish you a happy football season!