Several Texas Longhorns Land in PFF's Top 101 Players of 2025

Which Longhorns cracked PFF's list?

Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian takes a photo with players after the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns continue to receive props after a successful 2025 campaign.

With the season fully finished, many outlets are taking a look back on an eventful year in college football.

Pro Football Focus, for example, just released its list of the top 101 players of the 2025 season, and several Longhorns made the cut.

4 Longhorns make PFF's Top 101 Players of 2025

Nov 22, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) and defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) react after a touchdown during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The highest ranking Longhorn was redshirt senior safety Michael Taaffe, who came in at No. 48.

Taaffe only played in 10 games this season, but still managed to rack up 38 solo tackles and two interceptions. Taaffe also logged a coverage grade of 89.4 and an overall grade of 88.1, both top seven among safeties.

Taaffe has started for the Longhorns for the past three seasons after beginning his career as a walk-on.

The Austin native and Westlake graduate established himself as a fan-favorite with a penchant for showing up in the biggest games. He totaled 30 tackles and an interception against the four ranked opponents he played in 2025.

Taaffe sat out of the Citrus Bowl and now looks ahead to the NFL Draft.

Next was redshirt sophomore quarterback Arch Manning, who placed 50th.

Manning entered the season as the Heisman favorite but struggled out of the gate. He got back in stride after nearly losing to Kentucky and went from posting three games with a grade below 55 in the first eight weeks to an overall 89.5 grade across the final six.

After taking the MVP at the Citrus Bowl, Manning enters next season tied with Notre Dame's CJ Carr as the Heisman favorite once again.

The third Longhorn to make the list was sophomore edge rusher Colin Simmons.

Simmons came to Austin as a highly-touted recruit in the class of 2024 and made an immediate impact, logging nine sacks, 46 pressures, and 90 pass-rushing grade as a true freshman.

This year, Simmons took it to the next level, improving to 12 sacks, 59 pressures, and a 91.7 pass-rushing grade. His most destructive game came against Vanderbilt, where he posted an overall grade of 95.7 and a season-high 8 tackles.

Simmons will enter next season as one of, if not the premier pass-rusher in college football.

The final Longhorn to make PFF's list was redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Trevor Goosby, who finished 68th.

Goosby started every game at left tackle for the Longhorns last season, earning a pass-blocking grade of 80.1 and a run-blocking grade of 82.1. He was one of only seven qualified tackles to record a grade above 80 for both.

Goosby received looks for the NFL Draft but ultimately reached a deal to return to Texas and protect Arch Manning's blindside for another season.