Several former Texas Longhorns Meet Up Ahead of NFL Preseason Matchup

Given the program’s recent successes, it might not come as a surprise that the Texas Longhorns are well represented in the NFL ahead of the 2025 season.

Former Longhorns occupy at least one roster spot on 26 of the 32 total teams in the league, meaning that several NFL matchups will include Longhorns on both teams.

At 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 9, a preseason matchup between the Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers will provide the chance for Texas fans to watch six of their former favorites in action.

49ers vs. Broncos

San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Alfred Collin — May 9, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers second-round draft pick Alfred Collins (99) watches his teammates work out during the teamís rookie minicamp. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Despite the fact that many NFL teams carry former Texas players on their rosters, none contain as many as the Denver Broncos do. Five players from Texas represent the Broncos at the next level, and their names read as follows: cornerback Jahdae Barron, quarterback Sam Ehlinger, safeties Brandon Jones and P.J. Locke and, finally, defensive tackle Malcom Roach.

The 49ers, on the other hand, possess just one former Longhorn on their roster: defensive lineman Alfred Collins.

Texas Football posted a photo of the six players ahead of their preseason bout, which is set to take place in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Longhorn fam 🤘 pic.twitter.com/q1bdY0YgEW
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) August 8, 2025

Collins stands out as the only red jersey wearer in the photo, positioned in the middle between Roach and Barron. However, regardless of the fact that this photo features NFL opponents, it indicates a sense of camaraderie among this group of six.

Several of them overlapped on the Forty Acres, and others even served identical tenures with the Longhorns. Barron and Collins, for example, both played together from 2020-2024 before being drafted in the first and second rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, respectively.

Now, the two will play against one another in the first preseason game of their careers.

Ehlinger, Roach, Locke and Jones all played during coinciding years, with their tenures ranging from 2015-2020. These years of college football are typically formative ones for NFL hopefuls, and now each of these players has officially earned the opportunity to play on the world’s biggest stage.

With the exception of Roach, who hails from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, these players are all native to the state of Texas too.

As they prepare for their 2025 regular season debuts, they get to embrace this preseason matchup and two more against other opponents that are to follow.

These games serve as an opportunities for each team to evaluate new personnel in a more game-like setting and figure out what needs to be fixed before the regular season commences.