WATCH: Longhorns Sam Ehlinger Receives NFL Draft Call From Indianapolis Colts

Sam Ehlinger became the first Texas Longhorn quarterback taken in the NFL Draft since Colt McCoy on Saturday, when he was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 218 pick.

Matt Galatzan | May 1, 2021

After a brilliant and decorated career with the Texas Longhorns, quarterback Sam Ehlinger is taking his talents to the Indianapolis Colts, after being selected with the No. 218 overall pick in the sixth round.

Following a long weekend of waiting to hear his name called, Ehlinger finally received the phone call he had been waiting for on Saturday afternoon, surrounded by his friends and family.

Ehlinger leaves behind a legacy that will be difficult for any Longhorns quarterback to surpass in the future, finishing second in school history in completions, passing yards, total offense, and total touchdowns, completing 923-1,476 passes for 11,436 yards and 94 touchdowns to just 27 interceptions. He also ran for 1,907 yards and scored 33 touchdowns on 554 carries.

Ehinger also holds the school record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season with 16 scores in 2018 and holds a Big 12 record for most consecutive passing attempts without an interception with 308. The senior also led the Longhorns to four consecutive bowl games, and four consecutive bowl wins under center, making him the only quarterback in school history to do so.

While Ehlinger's prospects to start over current projected start Carson Wentz are not great at this point, his talent and intangibles are well-documented, and his production at the college level is undeniable, making him a safe bet to be a back up at the NFL level for a long time to come.

With Ehlinger, now gone, Texas is set to begin anew with Steve Sarkisian at the helm, and either Casey Thompson or Hudson Card under center -- A new era on the 40 Acres that will begin with a major spotlight, following the exit of a quintessential Longhorn legend.

CONTINUE READING: Longhorns Miss On First-Round NFL Draft Selection Once Again

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Published May 1, 2021

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.