5 Days Until Texas Football: The Greatest Longhorns to Wear No. 5 In the Modern Era

Texas will host Texas State on Saturday at DKR Stadium in the season opener. Week 1 is here.

Before the Bobcats touch down on the Forty Acres, though, we take a look at the five greatest Texas football players to ever don the No. 5.

More than many jersey numbers, the No. 5 has produced all-time skill-position greats on both sides of the ball throughout the years. There were many great one-year wonders like Adonai Mitchell, but these players contributed over multiple seasons:

Honorable Mention: Adonai Mitchell

Mitchell played just one season with Texas, but was one of the best receivers in the nation during that time. He was a matchup nightmare and helped Texas reach its first College Football Playoff ever, and win a Big 12 title.

No. 5: Tarell Brown, CB (2003-2006)

Tarell Brown was part of a 44-7 stretch during his time in Central Texas. That included the last BCS National Championship season.

Brown was a rotation player all four seasons, but a critical starter during the title run. Though he suffered an injury at the end of the Rose Bowl against USC in 2006, Brown was a key counterpart to Cedric Griffin out wide the whole year. He started three seasons, two of them ending in Rose Bowl wins and ranked in the top five of the Coaches and AP polls.

No. 4: Malik Muhammad, CB (2023-2025)

As part of the Longhorns' modern renaissance era, Malik Muhammad was a true freshman who immediately contributed on a team that returned to the CFP. Muhammad was a lockdown corner who was assigned to WR1s in Texas's transition to the SEC over his final two years. He helped the Longhorns return to relevancy and was ready from the jump.

No. 3: D'Shawn Jamison, CB (2018-2022)

D'Shawn Jamison persisted through some lean years, by Texas's standards, anyway, at the end of Tom Herman's tenure and the beginning of Steve Sarkisian's. As a highly sought-after recruit from the Houston area, Jamison delivered on an individual level even when the team struggled. Particularly, Jamison was great on special teams, where he ranks No. 4 in program history with 1,435 kick return yards on 54 attempts.

No. 2: James Brown, QB (1994-1997)

James Brown's 1997 season was one to forget, but his overall tenure was one to remember.

Brown helped the Longhorns win the final Southwest Conference title in 1995 and the inaugural Big 12 Championship in 1996.

Brown also broke barriers as the first Black quarterback to start all four years during his career in Austin.

No. 1: Bijan Robinson, RB (2020-2022)

Bijan Robinson was a legendary freshman who averaged over eight yards per carry during the COVID-19-stricken 2020 season.

By his third year, he averaged over 130 yards per game. Had Robinson stayed for a fourth year, he might've taken the crown for the top running back in program history.

A 2023 Texas team with Robinson might've gone the distance. He still ended up with 3,410 rushing yards in three seasons.

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