Texas Longhorns Linebacker Earns All-American Honors

Overlooked in other All-American honors, Texas Longhorns edge rusher Colin Simmons finds validation elsewhere.

Texas Longhorns defensive end Colin Simmons during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

On Wednesday morning, The Sporting News released their All-American selections for the 2025 college football season.

Colin Simmons, the Texas Longhorns star edge rusher, received Second-Team honors for a dominant season on the Texas defense.

More recognition for @ColinSimmons__ 🤘 pic.twitter.com/mBGy6m0hNG

— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) December 17, 2025

Simmons totaled 41 tackles in 11 games with the Longhorns. The sophomore led the Texas defense in both tackles for a loss (13.5) and sacks (11.0). Simmons' best game of the season came against No. 8 Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry with five tackles and 2.5 sacks. He also forced three fumbles in the second half of the season.

With how the Texas edge rusher forces opposing offenses to move away from gameplans, there's a argument for the linebacker to have received more All-American honors from other media entities. While Simmons saw a dip in total tackles for the season, he remained an absolute game-wrecker for the Longhorns.

Where the Box Score Falls Short

Sep 6, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Colin Simmons (1) reacts after making a tackle during the first half against the San Jose Spartans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

In Texas' first four games, Simmons totaled just 10 total tackles with 1.5 sacks. While the pass-rusher was certainly contributing to the Longhorns' defensive efforts, his production was somewhat lacking. It was in the final seven games of the season where Simmons really turned up the heat.

The Red River Rivalry was somewhat of a turning point for the Longhorns' defense. Cornerback Malik Muhammad notched two interceptions, while Simmons recorded a 2.5 sacks for a loss of 19 yards. As a team, Texas sacked Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer on five separate occasions.

After their win over No. 8 Oklahoma, Simmons showed the qualities of an All-American defender by recording a sack in five of Texas' six remaining games. In the defensive slugfest against Kentucky, the edge-rusher recorded a career-high 3.0 sacks. While it wasn't the prettiest win, Simmons showed that he could take over a game when head coach Steve Sarkisian needed him to.

That late-season surge in defensive production, however, still failed to fully capture Simmons' value as an edge-rusher. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski often tasked the sophomore with disrupting plays rather than finishing them, allowing his teammates to thrive off of the pressure he created in the backfield.

Opposing offenses routinely altered their plays to avoid Simmons as much as possible. These are the types of things that don't show up in the box score. While All-American recognition often relies on eye-catching statistics, the film leaves little doubt about Simmons' status as one of the most disruptive pass-rushers in the country.