Texas football was among the best rosters in the sport this past season. Even though the Longhorns didn’t win the national championship, they showed depth and talent all across the field.
The distinction of “most talented” likely goes to Ohio State, the College Football Playoff champions who defeated Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinals. ESPN recently ranked its top 100 players in college football from the past season, and the Buckeyes had 10 players make the list.
Texas was not far behind, however. Many of those listed were on a defense that was rated among the best in the country, but there was some offensive players mixed int too. Some of their top contributors are headed to the NFL draft, while others will return for another year of seasoning in college.
Here are the seven Texas Longhorns football stars who were placed on ESPN’s top 100 list:
Texas safety Andrew Mukuba, No. 93
The Clemson transfer lands at No. 93 after returning home to Austin and having his best season ever. Mukuba’s instincts and chemistry with his teammates were fundamental to the Longhorns’ success on defense, with the safety racking up 69 tackles, five interceptions and eleven passes defended.
“A Clemson transfer who helped Texas improve from 116th in pass defense in 2023 to first in the regular season this year, he was a physical player whose big hits stopped runners cold. His interception in the second overtime against Arizona State clinched a CFP quarterfinal win for the Longhorns,” ESPN’s Dave Wilson said.
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, No. 91
This might seem a little low to some Texas fans. After all, Ewers is one of the best quarterbacks in Longhorns history, and he captained the offense of two CFP teams.
Ewers’ time missed due to injury which may have knocked him down on ESPN’s list. He finished the year with 3,472 yards and 32 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and completed 65.8% of his passes.
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, No. 74
Golden had already had a successful career at Houston, but the wide receiver made his mark nationally during his lone year with Texas.
While Isaiah Bond began the season as the Longhorns’ No. 1 target, Golden slowly proved himself to be the more reliable pass catcher. Ewers consistently looked for him in clutch situations and the Houston transfer is now projected to be a top receiver in the upcoming NFL draft.
“On the season, he finished with 58 catches for 982 yards and nine TDs, including a 28-yard touchdown on fourth-and-13 against Arizona State in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl to force a second overtime,” Wilson said.
Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., No. 30
A five-star recruit from Texas’ 2023 recruiting class, Hill lived up to his billing during his first full season as a middle linebacker. He led the team in tackles for loss with 16.5, collected 116 tackles and had eight sacks. The Longhorns’ upperclassman got most of the attention on the defense, but Hill was one of the most crucial cogs that made things work.
“Along with Collin Simmons, he will be the face of the Texas defense next season,” Wilson said.
Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, No. 14
In the College Football Playoff semifinal, Ohio State’s freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith only recorded one catch for three yards. Though it was a team effort, it wouldn’t have worked if the Longhorns didn’t have this year’s Thorpe Award winner, Jahdae Barron. The versatile defensive back has played all over the field in his career, but he took a leap after he turned into a full-time cornerback.
He recorded 67 tackles, 11 passes broken up and five interceptions in the 2024-25 season.
Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr.,
The Longhorns have benefited immensely from having Kelvin Banks Jr.’s sturdy, reliable presence on the blindside of Ewers for the past three years. He’s the only player in Texas history to win the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award in the same season and will likely be the first Texas offensive tackle to be picked in the first round of the NFL draft since 2002.
“He started 42 games, including 39 straight, at Texas after plugging in as a starter at left tackle as soon as he arrived on campus, and he was a leader on two CFP semifinal teams at left tackle. He allowed only one sack in 935 snaps in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus,” Wilson said.
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