By: Grace Tafolla Story Links AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football junior left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. has been named a unanimous First-Team All-American and senior defensive back Jahdae Barron has been tabbed a consensus All-American by the five All-America teams that were released in the last week, the NCAA announced. Sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., […]
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football junior left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. has been named a unanimous First-Team All-American and senior defensive back Jahdae Barron has been tabbed a consensus All-American by the five All-America teams that were released in the last week, the NCAA announced. Sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., senior defensive tackle Alfred Collins and junior defensive back Michael Taaffe also garnered All-America selection.
Banks is the 25th Longhorn (28th time) to be selected as a unanimous First-Team All-American. With Banks and Barron earning unanimous and consensus All-American distinguishment, there are now 50 Longhorns (65 total consensus All-America honors) to claim consensus All-American status, which ties for the ninth-most in NCAA history. Throughout program history, 100 Longhorns have received first-team All-America honors.
The 2024 Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award recipient, Banks was named a first-team All-American by the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, The Sporting News and Walter Camp. A three-year starter who has started 39-straight games at left tackle for the Longhorns, Banks is a key member of the Texas offensive line that was recently tabbed a finalist for the Joe Moore Award which goes to the nation’s most outstanding offensive line unit. Banks received multiple weekly honors this season, including the Outland Trophy’s National Player of the Week on Oct. 15, and SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week twice (Sept. 30 and Oct. 14). Prior to the season, Banks was named preseason first-team All-America by The Associated Press, CBS Sports, ESPN, Sporting News and The Athletic in addition to being honored on the preseason first-team All-SEC by the media and league’s coaches. With Banks’ veteran leadership in the trenches, UT’s offense ranks No. 13 in the FBS in passing offense (281 ypg), 15th in team passing efficiency (154.92), 16th in completion percentage (66.3 percent), 18th in total offense (445.4 ypg) and 25th in scoring offense (33.6 ppg). The Texas offense has rushed for over 100 yards in 11 of 13 games and three different Longhorn running backs have each registered at least one 100-yard effort.
Barron, the Jim Thorpe Award winner, hauled in first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press, FWAA and The Sporting News while claiming second-team praise from the AFCA and Walter Camp. Barron has proven to be one of the nation’s elite defensive players this season. A fifth-year defensive back, he has played in 54 career games with 36 starts. Following Texas’ 20-10 road win at Arkansas on Nov. 16, Barron was recognized as the Thorpe Award’s National Player of the Week, the SEC’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week and the Reese’s Senior Bowl’s Defensive Player of the Week. Prior to the 2024 season, he was named preseason second-team All-SEC on defense and selected to the preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurksi Trophy and Bednarik Award. Barron is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the nation, consistently playing multiple positions in the Texas defensive backfield, while providing leadership as a fifth-year veteran. Through 13 games, the Austin, Texas, native leads the Longhorns in interceptions (5) and pass break-ups (9) to go along with 47 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble. Barron paces the SEC and ranks third in the FBS in total interceptions this season. The Austin, Texas, native plays an integral role in a dominant Texas defense that leads the FBS in several categories, including turnovers gained (28) and passing yards allowed (143.1 ypg). In addition, Texas ranks No. 2 in the FBS in scoring defense (12.5 ppg) and team passing efficiency defense (95.19) while sitting third in passes intercepted (19) and total defense (249.5 ypg). The Horns also rank fifth nationally in first down defense (196), sixth in third-down conversion percentage defense (30.6 percent), seventh in red zone defense (71.4 percent), 12th in team tackles for loss (7.3) and 15th in rushing defense (106.4).The Longhorns have given up just four passing touchdowns through 13 games, which ties for the fewest in the FBS and shares the program’s single-season record for fewest passing touchdowns surrendered in a season (1972). UT shut out opponents in the first half in three of the last four games to cap the regular season – all conference opponents.
Hill was named to the All-America second team by the AFCA, Associated Press, The Sporting News and Walter Camp. Hill, a second-year linebacker from Denton, Texas, earned spots on semifinalist lists for the Bednarik and Butkus awards this season. In 13 starts, Hill is Texas’ leading tackler (90) and paces the team in tackles for loss (16) and forced fumbles (4). Hill has combined for a team-leading three double-digit tackle games this season. He also has tallied the second-most sacks on the team with 7.5 and third-most quarterback hurries with four. Additionally, Hill has compiled an interception, a pass break-up and a fumble recovery. Hill set career single-game highs of two sacks and four tackles for loss as part of 11 total tackles in addition to forcing a fumble as he led Texas to a 31-14 win over Kentucky on Nov. 23, picking up Co-SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season. In the 27-24 win at No. 25/25 Vanderbilt on Oct. 26, Hill posted eight tackles (five solo), two quarterback hurries and a pass break-up. Against No. 5/4 Georgia on Oct. 19, Hill had eight tackles (four solo), 1.5 tackles for a loss of four yards, including a sack for a loss of two yards. Hill earned national praise following his standout performance in Texas’ 34-3 win over No. 18/16 Oklahoma in the Allstate Red River Rivalry on Oct. 12. He garnered Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 15), Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week (Oct. 16) and SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week accolades (Oct. 14). Against the Sooners, Hill compiled 11 tackles (seven solo), two sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pressure in Texas’ win. Notching his second double-digit tackling effort of his career and season, Hill had his second career forced fumble while matching his career highs in tackles with 11 and sacks with two while tallying a career high 3.5 tackles for loss. It was Hill’s fourth-straight game with a sack.
Collins and Taaffe were each placed on the All-America second team by the Associated Press.
A native of Bastrop, Texas, Collins is a fifth-year defensive lineman who has started all 13 games this season. Collins has registered 43 total tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, seven pass break-ups, one quarterback hurry, one forced fumble and a blocked field goal. Collins’ seven pass break-ups rank seventh on UT. In the SEC Championship on Dec. 7, Collins logged three solo tackles, including a tackle for loss, and a pass break-up. Following Texas’ 20-10 road win at Arkansas on Nov. 16, Collins was lauded as the SEC’s Defensive Lineman of the Week. Collins generated seven tackles (four solo), including one sack and two tackles for loss, along with a critical forced fumble in the fourth quarter, as Texas won a renewed rivalry game on the road against the Razorbacks. With the Longhorns leading, 20-10, with seven minutes to go in the game and Arkansas driving into Texas territory at the 39-yard line, the Hogs completed a screen pass when Collins gave full extension and was parallel to the ground in reaching out and punching the ball free as the receiver turned up field. Teammate Michael Taaffe recovered, and the offense then melted away the final 6:55 of the game, preventing Arkansas from another opportunity on offense.
Taaffe, an Austin, Texas, product and former walk-on, has played a critical role in the Longhorns’ secondary this season. Starting all 13 contests, Taaffe has combined for 61 total tackles (31 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, seven pass break-ups, one quarterback hurry, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Taaffe is second on the squad in tackles and pass break-ups. In the 20-10 road win at Arkansas on Nov. 16, Taaffe recorded eight tackles (three solo) and had a game-sealing fumble recovery in the fourth quarter that allowed Texas to melt the clock. In UT’s 49-17 win against the Florida Gators on Nov. 9, Taaffe racked up two stops and a pass break-up. He’s the only Longhorn to record an interception and a forced fumble in the same game this season after doing so in Texas’ win at No. 25/25 Vanderbilt on Oct. 26, earning the Burlsworth’s Trophy National Player of the Week and the SEC’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Taaffe forced two turnovers to go along with six tackles and a pass break-up against the Commodores. Taaffe led a Longhorn defense that held Vanderbilt to just 269 total yards, including 155 passing and 114 rushing. The Commodores didn’t have a drive longer than 43 yards until their last one of the game, and two of their three touchdowns came following Texas turnovers inside the 40-yard line. In the 34-3 win vs. No. 18/16 Oklahoma on Oct. 12, Taaffe logged a three-tackle effort and was responsible for a momentum-changing sack for a loss of 13 yards in the second quarter. In a primetime conference matchup vs. No. 5/4 Georgia on Oct. 19, Taaffe dazzled with a career-high nine tackles (seven solo) and a pass break-up.
Texas will be making its second College Football Playoff appearance in as many years after earning a No. 3 ranking in the CFP poll and the No. 5 overall seed. The Horns will host No. 13/13/16 Clemson at 3 p.m. CT Saturday, Dec. 21, inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in the CFP first round. The game will broadcast on TNT with Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (color analyst), Taylor McGregor (reporter) and Laura Rutledge (reporter) on the call. The first-round winner will advance to the CFP Quarterfinal at the 57th Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and face the Big 12 Champion and No. 4 seed Arizona State at Noon C.T. on Jan. 1, 2025, in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will air on an ABC/ESPN platform.
