ESPN recently revealed their rankings for the top 100 college football players in 2023.
The staff members were presented with a series of one-on-one votes to determine the rankings. Three Texas players made the cut, but the omissions of quarterback Quinn Ewers and left tackle Kelvin Banks were surprising.
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy is the highest-rated Longhorn on the list at No. 59.
Worthy comes into the 2023 season with 21 career touchdown receptions, good for third all-time in Texas football history. In 13 games last season, he had 60 receptions for 760 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, and will certainly compete for the award if Quinn Ewers and Texas take the leap many expect.
Arkansas safety Jalen Catalon appeared at No. 83. Catalon has battled through injury issues over the last two seasons, but Texas feels he could have a bounceback year in 2023.
An Arkansas transfer, Catalon suffered a season-ending injury in the opener against Cincinnati last year after making eight tackles in the game. In 2021, he started the first six games, making 46 tackles, before suffering another season-ending injury. He was a breakout star and a freshman All-American in 2020 with 99 tackles, three interceptions and four passes broken up.
Finally, linebacker Jaylan Ford landed at No. 88 on ESPN’s list. Ford is the favorite to take home Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors this upcoming season.
Last season, Ford finished with a career-high 119 tackles, which was also the most for a Texas linebacker in almost 10 years. In addition, he had 10 tackles for loss and is sure to vie for the Big 12 defensive player of the year title after falling just short of it in 2022.
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