Texas leads the nation with the most players in PFF’s Top 50 for 2025

In a powerful sign of their resurgence on the national stage, the Texas Longhorns lead the country with the most players named to Pro Football Focus’s (PFF) Top 50 Players in College Football for 2025. It’s a milestone moment for a program that has roared back into prominence and now boasts not just depth and talent—but verified elite production across the board.
According to PFF’s latest rankings, seven Longhorns cracked the Top 50, more than perennial powerhouses such as Alabama (5), Georgia (4), Ohio State (4), and Michigan (3). For Texas fans, it’s not just bragging rights—it’s a validation of recruiting, development, and on-field dominance that has put the burnt orange squarely in the national title conversation.
PFF grades players using comprehensive film breakdowns, performance metrics, and positional value. Making the Top 50 is no small feat—and Texas didn’t just place one or two players at the bottom of the list. Several landed near the top, establishing themselves as future first-round NFL Draft picks.
Here’s a closer look at the Texas standouts:
1. Arch Manning – QB (No. 3 Overall)
The face of Texas football, Manning enters the 2025 season as a Heisman frontrunner and one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation. In 2024, he threw for 3,891 yards, 34 touchdowns, and just six interceptions while leading the Longhorns to an 11-2 record.
PFF praises his poise under pressure, elite anticipation, and big-game performance. “Manning processes like a pro and throws with rare accuracy at all three levels,” the PFF breakdown reads.
2. Johntay Cook II – WR (No. 12)
Cook is Texas’s most explosive wide receiver since Roy Williams. He racked up over 1,100 yards last season, with a PFF grade of 90.4 in contested catches. His route running and deep-ball tracking have drawn comparisons to NFL standouts like Garrett Wilson.
3. Kelvin Banks Jr. – OT (No. 15)
An anchor at left tackle, Banks is projected as a top-10 NFL pick. He allowed only one sack all season while facing top-tier SEC pass rushers weekly. His pass set technique and balance earned him the highest pass-blocking grade among SEC tackles.
4. Anthony Hill Jr. – LB (No. 22)
A freak athlete and field general on defense, Hill recorded 97 tackles, 13 TFLs, and 4.5 sacks last year. His sideline-to-sideline range and ability to cover tight ends makes him a modern hybrid linebacker. PFF lauded his improvement in reading RPOs and QB spies.
5. T’Vondre Sweat – DT (No. 31)
Returning for a super senior year, Sweat is a nightmare in the interior. The 362-pound lineman clogs up the run and generates interior pressure at an elite clip. His 2024 run-stop win rate ranked No. 2 in the country.
6. Ryan Watts – CB (No. 45)
A tall, physical corner who excels in press coverage, Watts had four interceptions and 12 pass breakups last season. PFF notes that opposing QBs posted just a 56.8 passer rating when targeting him in man coverage.
7. Jaydon Blue – RB (No. 50)
Blue emerged as Texas’s top back after splitting time in 2024, rushing for 1,134 yards and averaging 6.1 yards per carry. His burst and improved vision make him one of the most dangerous skill players in the SEC heading into the new season.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian has long preached the importance of roster construction—balancing high school recruiting, transfer portal additions, and player development. The PFF rankings confirm what fans and analysts have seen on the field: Texas now has top-tier talent at premium positions.
- Quarterback: Arch Manning is elite
- Left tackle: Kelvin Banks is a first-round lock
- No. 1 receiver: Johntay Cook is uncoverable
- Linebacker: Anthony Hill flies
- Corner: Watts shuts down WR1s
- Defensive tackle: Sweat is a wall
This kind of alignment at key positions is exactly what programs like Alabama and Georgia have built national titles on.
PFF’s Top 50 featured players from across the Power Five, but no team had more than Texas’s seven selections.
Teams with most PFF Top 50 Players (2025 Preseason):
- Texas – 7
- Alabama – 5
- Ohio State – 4
- Georgia – 4
- Oregon – 3
- Michigan – 3
- LSU – 2
This dominance comes as Texas enters its first full SEC season, and sends a strong message to the rest of the league: the Longhorns aren’t coming to compete—they’re coming to contend.
Multiple NFL Draft experts are projecting four Longhorns to go in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, with Manning, Banks, Cook, and Hill all showing high ceilings and translatable skills. Sweat and Watts are likely Day 2 picks, while Jaydon Blue could rise with another productive season.
“This is the most NFL-ready Texas team since 2005,” said one AFC scout. “They’ve got pros at every level of the defense and future stars on offense.”
Texas’s presence atop PFF’s Top 50 reinforces several key realities:
- Player development is thriving under Sarkisian’s staff
- Strength and conditioning has produced elite frames and endurance
- Recruiting wins from 2022–2024 are producing stars
- Texas is now seen as a pipeline to the NFL
Just as important, this recognition fuels confidence in the locker room and on the trail.
Recruits see Texas not just as a “cool brand,” but a place where players are getting better, getting drafted, and winning big games.
The 2025 Texas Longhorns aren’t just a good team—they may be a great one.
The presence of seven players in PFF’s Top 50 speaks volumes. This isn’t hype. It’s performance. It’s projection. It’s production.
It’s what Alabama and Georgia have built their dynasties on.
Now, Texas has that kind of roster—and the numbers to prove it.
“We’re not just trying to be in the playoff,” said Sarkisian. “We’re trying to win it. And this roster? It gives us a real shot.”