Texas Longhorns Edge Rusher Named To Freshman All-SEC Team

The Texas Longhorns may have missed out on the College Football Playoff after a 9-3 regular season, but plenty of their personnel are still receiving their flowers for an impressive showing during the 2025 season.

Edge rusher Colin Simmons and wide receiver Ryan Wingo were among those named to the All-SEC team, and quarterback Arch Manning now has a full season of starter-level reps under his belt, and his efficiency has been better than ever.

Thursday afternoon, the freshman All-SEC team was announced, and the Longhorns got even more recognition thanks to one edge rusher: Lance Jackson.

Lance Jackson Named To All-SEC Freshman Team

Lance Jackson Texas Longhorns All-SEC Freshman — Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive end Lance Jackson (40) during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

During the naming, Jackson was named to the All-SEC freshman team as an edge rusher, carrying over somewhat of a tradition after Colin Simmons was named to the team last year, as well as took home SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

Jackson was the only player from the 40 Acres to land a spot on the team.

The Texarkana native made plenty of noise in his first season with the Horns, recording two sacks, 15 tackles, and four quarterback hits over the course of the season.

His most eye-opening performance was against the Sam Houston State Bearkats, when he total two solo tackles and a sack, while also making his presence felt in Dallas against the Oklahoma Sooners, with two assisted tackles and 0.5 sacks, taking down John Mateer along with Brad Spence in the late stages of the 23-6 win.

Jackson, who joined the Horns as a four-star recruit out of Pleasant Grove High School in Texarkana, was the third-best edge rusher in the 2025 class, and the 39th-best player in the country, according to 247Sports.

Football runs solidly in his family, as his brother, Landon, was a defensive end for the LSU Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks and was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. With the Hogs, Landon was a first-team All-SEC player in 2023, and second-team in 2024.

Lance committed to the Horns in January of 2024, taking Texas' offer over teams such as Texas A&M, Oregon, Florida, and Penn State.

With players such as Jackson on the team, the Longhorns boasted a stout defense that only allowed an average of 98.1 rushing yards and 335 total yards per game, and forced 12 fumbles while intercepting 13 passes.

Jackson and the Longhorns will now gear up for their appearance in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against the Michigan Wolverines, who recently entered the head coach searching party.