Ranking The Best Texas Longhorns Players in NFL History

The Texas Longhorns have had players selected in all but four NFL Drafts since the process began in 1936.

Since then, Texas has had 380 players drafted and Longhorns have made a collective 53 All-Pro first teams and 132 Pro-Bowls in the NFL.

With the newest batch of Longhorns set to join that long list at the end of the week, here are the greatest Texas NFL players of all-time.

No. 1 - Earl Campbell, Running Back (1978-1985)

Houston Oilers running back Earl Campbell carries the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

Accolades: Pro-Football Hall-of-Famer, member of the All-1970's team,1x MVP, 3x Offensive Player of the Year, 3x All-Pro, 5x Pro-Bowler, 1978 Offensive Rookie of the Year

Earl Campbell is the consensus all-time Texas NFL great, and that is for good reason. The 'Tyler Rose' was selected first-overall in the 1978 Draft and got off to as great of a start as a running back ever has.

Campbell led the league in rushing yards in each of his first three seasons, earning Offensive Player of the Year honors and finishing at least top-two in MVP voting all three years. He won the award in just his second season, and remains the only former Longhorn to do so.

While he never quite reached the peaks of 1978-1980 again, Campbell did tack on two more 1,300-rushing-yard-seasons and pro-bowl appearances before his brief but beautiful NFL career came to a close.

No. 2 - Earl Thomas, Safety (2010-2019)

Seattle Seahawks defensive back Earl Thomas against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Accolades: member of the All-2010's team, 3x All-Pro, 7x Pro-Bowler, Super Bowl XLVIII Champion

40 years after one Texas-Earl dominated the NFL, another took up the mantle. Earl Thomas' nine years in Seattle were as productive as they were memorable.

Like Campbell, Thomas did not take long to get going. He made his first of four consecutive All-Pro teams in just his second year in the league.

Thomas was a foundational-member of the Seattle Seahawks' 'Legion of Boom' secondary, which brought the team to back-to-back Super Bowls while allowing the fewest yards and points of any team in back-to-back seasons.

Thomas has twice been a semi-finalist for the Hall of Fame, and will likely make his way to Canton before the end of the decade.

No. 3 - Bobby Layne, Quarterback (1948-1962)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Bobby Layne during the 1960 Pro Bowl | David Boss-Imagn Images

Accolades: Pro-Football Hall-of-Famer, member of the All-1950's team, 5x All-Pro, 6x Pro-Bowler, 3x NFL Champion

It took longer for Bobby Layne to catch-on in the league, as he bounced from the Chicago Bears to the New York Bulldogs before finding a home with the Detroit Lions. Once he did find his place in the league, however, he dominated.

Layne led the NFL in passing yards in both of his first two seasons in Detroit. He picked up four Pro-Bowl appearances and three All-Pro selections there before being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, thereafter allegedly cursing the Lions, which has seemingly been quite detrimental.

He earned another two Pro-Bowl and All-Pro nods with the Steelers, also finishing in the top three of MVP voting in 1958. Layne finished his career in 1962 with 26,768 passing yards and 196 touchdowns.

No. 4 - Priest Holmes, Running Back (1997-2007)

Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes heads downfield in the third quarter for a gain in the Chiefs 27-11 loss to the Denver Broncos | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Accolades: 1x Offensive Player of the Year, 3x All-Pro, 3x Pro-Bowler, Super Bowl XXXV Champion

Of every player on this list, Holmes was the least accomplished as a Longhorn. Over four years in Austin he accrued just 1,276 yards and 20 touchdowns.

As such, Holmes went undrafted in 1997, ultimately being picked up by the Baltimore Ravens. While he won a Super Bowl with that team, he did not break out until signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001.

In his first season with Kansas City, Holmes led the NFL in rushing yards, becoming the first undrafted player to do so. He led the league in scrimmage yards in 2001 and 2002, and led in both rushing and total touchdowns in 2002 and 2003.

Holmes was a first-team All-Pro in all three of those seasons, finishing top-five in MVP voting in 2002 and 2003 and winning Offensive Player of the Year in 2002.

His most lasting contribution to football is his further popularization of the receiving-running back archetype, as he caught 206 passes for 1,976 yards across 2001-2003.

No. 5 - Tommy Nobis, Linebacker (1966-1976)

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Tommy Nobis in action during the 1970 season | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

Accolades: member of the All-1960's team, 2x All-Pro, 5x Pro-Bowler, 1966 Rookie of the Year

After a college career as one of the finest players Darrel K. Royal ever coached, Tommy Nobis became the first pick the fledgling Atlanta Falcons ever made, going first overall in 1966.

Nobis spent all 10 years of his NFL career in Atlanta, earning the nickname "Mr. Falcon," due to his synonymity with the team. He got off to a great start in the 'Big Peach', racking up 294 combined tackles en route to a Pro-Bowl selection as a rookie.

Nobis followed that performance up with back-to-back All-Pro seasons. While he only made two other Pro-Bowls after 1968, Nobis was well-respected by opposing players and coaches.

"I'd rather play against Dick Butkus than Nobis," Hall-of-Fame fullback Larry Csonka once remarked.

Honorable Mentions: Steve McMichael, Ricky Williams, Derrick Johnson, Raymond Claborn

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