The Texas Longhorns has been a blue-blood football program for decades but have spent a lot of time forcing people to wonder if this is finally the time when “Texas is back.” However, it feels like it might actually, finally be time.
The Longhorns’ legacy of producing great players goes back to the beginning of their program and continues today. The Longhorns produced myriad All-Americans, multiple Heisman Trophy winners, and won national championships.
Most of these names on this list are familiar to most college football fans but there may be a few names from history that aren’t as well known. Here is our list of the top 10 Texas Longhorns football players of all time.
10. Roosevelt Leaks, running back
He might not be nationally famous but Roosevelt Leaks played an important part in Longhorns football history. Leaks was the first black football player to play for Texas. He led the school in rushing in 1972, garnering 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns, becoming just the second UT player to ever rush for over 1,000 yards. In 1973, he set school and Southwest Conference rushing records with 1,415 yards, earning an All-American nod. Unfortunately, injuries stymied his senior season but he still earned 409 yards and 4 touchdowns. He went on to have a solid NFL career and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
9. Earl Thomas, safety
Earl Thomas is probably the greatest safety in the history of the school. He was a consensus All-American, named to the first-team All-Big 12 team, a Jim Thrope finalist, and ended up being a first-round draft pick in the NFL. In his sophomore year, he intercepted eight passes and ran two of them back for touchdowns. Long-time NFL executive with Raiders Mike Mayock said this about Thomas when he was about to be drafted. “I’ve probably watched 300-400 snaps apiece and in my opinion, Earl Thomas is the most instinctive free safety I’ve seen on tape in five or six years. He’s a playmaker, he’s got loose hips, and he’s got the best range of any centerfielder I’ve seen coming out of college football in a long time.”
8. Tommy Nobis, linebacker
Tommy Nobis is probably one of the greatest linebackers to ever play college football, Longhorns or otherwise. Nobis played on those great Longhorn teams coached by the legendary Darrell Royal. Nobis is a two-time All-American, Outland Trophy winner, Maxwell Award winner, and three-time All-Southwest Conference player. Royal once referred to Nobis as “the finest two-way player I have ever seen.” That’s quite a compliment considering all the great players he coached. Nobis ended his college career with 1,688 tackles, 13 fumble recoveries, and 12 interceptions and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
7. Colt McCoy, quarterback
Colt McCoy played a huge role in keeping Texas in the national spotlight in the 2000s. A four-year starter for the Longhorns from 2006 to 2009, he was named or shared team MVP all four seasons, the only player to ever do so. The two-time first-team All-American took home the Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, Manning, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, and Walter Camp awards. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2009 was also a Heisman finalist. He threw for over 3,000 yards in three of his four seasons, with his best year coming in 2008 when he threw for 3,859 yards and 34 touchdowns while also running for 11 scores. His NFL career has been that of a journeyman quarterback but he continues to play 13 years later.
6. Steve McMichael, linebacker
Steve McMichael might be known more for his role on that 1985 Chicago Bears team that won a Super Bowl, but before all of that, he was a great linebacker for the Longhorns. McMichael was an All-American in 1979 and helped lead the Texas Longhorns to win the Southwest Conference Championship in 1977. He was All-Southwest in 1978 and 1979, the team MVP in 1979. and was even the team’s backup placekicker one season. McMichael was an eccentric character who ended up being a pro wrestler for years after he retired from pro football. In 1999 he was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor and, in 2010, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
5. Derrick Johnson. linebacker
Derrick Johnson was another in a long line of great Texas Longhorns linebackers. Johnson played under head coach Mack Brown and was a two-time consensus All-American, and Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 12 in 2001 and 2004. Johnson’s best year came in 2001 when had 4.5 sacks and a combined 83 tackles, 57 of which were solo tackles. When he won the award again in 2004, he had fewer sacks (2.5) but had an amazing 130 tackles, 73 of which were solo tackles. Johnson would go on to have a terrific career with both the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders and is now part of the College Football Hall of Fame.
4. Bobby Layne, quarterback
Before Colt McCoy or Vince Young, the most famous Longhorns quarterback of all time was Bobby Layne. Layne was a two-time All-American and was selected to four straight All-Southwest Conference teams in the mid-1940s. Layne held several NCAA records at one point in his college career including the highest completion percentage (which he held until 1998), most pass completions, passing yards, and several others. Layne went on to have a storied NFL career with the Detroit Lions where played for eight years before moving on to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Layne is part of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
3. Vince Young, quarterback
You could certainly make the case that Vince Young is the best Texas quarterback in school history. Young was the last Longhorn QB to lead the team to a national championship, which is something neither of the other quarterbacks on this list were able to do. Young was a Heisman finalist in 2005, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year that same season, and an All-American. He also won three quarterback awards: The Davey O’Brien, The Manning Award, and the Maxwell Award, and is part of the College Football Hall of Fame. Young would end his career with 6,040 passing yards, 3,127 rushing yards, and 81 total touchdowns.
2. Ricky Williams, running back
Ricky Williams remains one of the most decorated running back in college football history. Williams is not only a Heisman winner, but a two-time unanimous All-American, two-time Doak Walker winner, two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and was named to the first-team All-Big 12 team three times. How big of a star was Williams? New Orleans Saints head coach Mike Ditka basically traded away his whole draft just to get him. Williams rushed for 1,000 yards or more all four years he was in college, but his senior season was something else. He rushed for 2,327 yards and 29 touchdowns and also banked 307 receiving yards as well. Williams was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
1. Earl Campbell, running back
It was a tough call between Ricky Williams and Earl Campbell for the top spot, but the Tyler Rose won out for a few reasons. Although Williams had better stats than Campbell, Campbell is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame and is the most honored Longhorn player in school history. Campbell won the Heisman Trophy his senior year in 1977, rushing for 1,744 yards and 18 touchdowns. He finished his college career with 4,443 rushing yards and 40 rushing touchdowns in 40 games. There’s a reason the future NFL MVP has a statue outside of Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
