ESPN has released its 2024 college football All-American team. How many Longhorns are on the list?
Texas was a college football semi-finalist last season. Texas has a Heisman Trophy candidate at QB. Texas is even picked by some in the national media to win the SEC and the national title.
The 4th ranked Longhorns should be well represented, right?
Nope.
The Longhorns have a grand total of one player on the list – OT Kelvin Banks Jr. is a first-team All-American on the ESPN list. He’s the only Longhorn on the first team. There are zero Longhorns on the second team.
Of Banks, ESPN says, “Both tackles on our All-America team have been starters since they were true freshmen. The 6-4, 320-pound Banks has started 27 straight games and been a fixture at left tackle for the Longhorns since the day he stepped on campus. He allowed just one sack in 550 pass-blocking situations last season and earned AFCA second-team All-America honors. Banks won’t have to wait long to hear his name called in the 2025 NFL draft.”
ESPN may be right on the money. Some of the Longhorns studs from 2023 have gone to the NFL. Byron Murphy, Xavier Worthy, T’Vondre Sweat, Jonathan Brooks and Adonai Mitchell would all be considered for the All-American team if they were still playing for Texas. Many of their positions have been filled by underclassmen or transfers.
That said, you can make a good argument that QB Quinn Ewers should be second team All-American instead of Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel. It’s a close call. Similarly, PK Bert Auburn could be the second team kicker, but he was beaten out by Andres Borregales of Miami. Another close call.
Once again, Texas players will have to prove to the national media that they are All-Americans. Longhorns like RB Jaydon Blue, WR Silas Bolden, DE Ethan Burke, LB Anthony Hill and DB Jahdae Barron could all be postseason All-Americans if their seasons, and Texas’ season, go as Longhorns fans hope.
ESPN Preseason All-Americans by the Numbers:
Georgia: 3 First Team | 1 Second Team
Alabama: 3 First Team | 1 Second Team
Michigan: 3 First Team | 0 Second Team
LSU: 2 First Team | 1 Second Team
Ohio State: 1 First Team | 4 Second Team
Oklahoma: 1 First Team | 0 Second Team
Oregon: 0 First Team | 2 Second Team
Texas A&M: 1 First Team | 0 Second Team
Tennessee: 1 First Team | 0 Second Team
Notre Dame: 1 First Team | 0 Second Team
Clemson: 1 First Team | 0 Second Team
Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Trey Luerssen on Twitter @TreyLuerssen.