The 20 greatest football players in Texas Longhorns history

Stafford is often regarded as the program’s first true star. Not only was Stafford considered one of college football’s best halfbacks at the time, but he was also known for his toughness and stellar blocking skills. Some historians of Longhorns football cite Stafford as the toughest player in the program’s history. Stafford was a three-time All-Southwest Conference selection and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Also known as the “Big Boy,” Bechtol began his collegiate career at Texas Tech but ended up in Austin. He’s the first football player in the history of the Southwest Conference to be named a three-time All-American, including by The Associated Press in 1944. At 6-foot-2 and a little more than 200 pounds, Bechtol played on both sides of the ball for the Longhorns. However, it was on offense where he truly shined. In 1946, Bechtol tied a then-school record with seven receiving touchdowns. He is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Layne is one of six players in the history of Texas Longhorns football to have his jersey number retired. While at Texas, Layne was a four-time All-Southwest Conference selection and even did a stint in the Merchant Marine. When Layne’s college career had ended, he was Texas’ leader in completions (210), passing yards (3,145), touchdowns (25), and starts (34). Layne’s 40 points totaled during the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 1945 season is still a record within the storied history of the bowl game. On the professional level, Layne guided the Detroit Lions to three NFL championships (before the Super Bowl era) and was a six-time Pro Bowler.

When it comes to unheralded college running backs, Saxton needs to be in the conversation. During his three active seasons for the Longhorns, Saxton rushed for 1,571 yards and was a finalist for the 1961 Heisman Trophy. Not bad for a guy who entered Texas as a quarterback but was convinced by legendary coach Darrell Royal to move to halfback. Saxton is another Longhorn legend to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

An integral part of Texas’ 1963 national championship squad, Nobis averaged almost 20 tackles per contest during his career. A consensus All-American in 1965, Nobis also played offensive guard and was known for his prowess as a blocker. He collected plenty of hardware while at Texas, winning the Outland Trophy as college football’s best interior lineman and the Maxwell Award as the game’s top all-around performer. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Nobis’ No. 60 was retired by the university.

To this day, Gilbert’s statistical legacy remains prominent within the Longhorns program. Gilbert ranks fifth in school history with 3,231 career rushing yards. He was also the first player in NCAA history to record three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. In 30 career games, Gilbert scored 28 touchdowns and averaged 5.4 yards per rush. The All-American was also a standout kickoff returner, averaging more than 22 yards per return. Gilbert is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

A College Football Hall of Famer, Sisemore was a two-time unanimous All-American (1971, ’72) for the Longhorns. He was also quite versatile, starring at both guard and tackle while at Texas. During Sisemore’s time in Austin, he was a big reason the Longhorns won three straight Southwest Conference champions. Following his Texas career, Sisemore earned two trips to the Pro Bowl as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he played from 1973-’84, and is a member of their Hall of Fame.

In 1973, Leaks became the first Black All-American to play football at Texas. That’s when Leaks ran for 1,415 yards with 14 touchdowns. In November of that season, Leaks ran for 342 yards at SMU, ranking second in school history. He also finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting that season. For his career, during which he was a two-time All-Southwest Conference selection, Leaks ran for 2,923 yards (seventh in Longhorns history) and 26 touchdowns.

Campbell is one of the best to ever carry the football at the college or professional level. In 1977, the bruising and powerful Campbell became the first Longhorn to win the Heisman Trophy while compiling 1,744 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. Campbell ranks third in program history for his Texas career with 4,443 yards, and his 40 touchdowns are the third-most by a Longhorn. A two-time All-American (1975, ’77), Campbell was also the first winner of the Davey O’Brien Trophy, awarded to the best overall player in the Southwest Conference.

Erxleben’s collective work is second to none in the annals of Texas special teams. Now, we’re talking about Erxleben, the football player — not the shady businessman he became after retirement. At Texas, Erxleben became the only punter in NCAA history to be named a three-time first-team All-American. His 67-yard field goal against Rice in 1977 is still the longest in college football history — with a tee. Erxleben still holds the Longhorns record for most made field goals of at least 50 yards (11). He was drafted in the first round of the 1979 NFL Draft (11th overall) by the New Orleans Saints. At the time, it was the second-highest selection of a kicker in the history of the draft.

Following in the footsteps of standout Longhorn defensive linemen Steve McMichael and Bill Acker, Sims was one of the nation’s premier defenders during the early 1980s. As a junior, Sims recorded more than 130 tackles. In 1981, Sims posted 23 tackles for loss, ranking third in school history. Sims’ 50 career tackles for loss are tied for ninth-most, and his 29 sacks share fourth place all-time at Texas, where he was named UPI Lineman of the Year and won the Lombardi Award as a senior. Sims is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

The pride of Lubbock, Texas, Gray packed a punch as one of the best defensive backs in college football during the early 1980s. Known as both a ball hawk — his 16 career interceptions rank third in school history — and a hard hitter (nearly 300 tackles as a Longhorn), Gray was twice named a consensus All-American while playing at Texas for coach Fred Akers. Following an NFL career that featured four Pro Bowl nods, Gray remains one of the top defensive coaches in the league. 

Eccentric and free-spirited, Ricky Williams is one of the special characters in college football history. He also happened to be one of the game’s greats. He is Texas’ all-time leading rusher with 6,279 yards, 72 touchdowns, and 136.5 career average yards per season. As a senior in 1998, Williams became the second Texas player to win the Heisman Trophy when he set school records with 2,124 rushing yards, 27 touchdowns, and a whopping 193.1 yards per game. In addition to all that dominance, Williams also owns school records for most 100-yard games (28) and single-game rushing yardage with 350 vs. Iowa State in 1998.

While running backs and quarterbacks tend to draw notoriety within Texas football lore, the school has produced some star-studded receivers. Williams, who prepped at the famed Permian High School in Odessa, is among the best. He’s the school’s all-time leader with 3,866 receiving yards and 36 career touchdowns. Williams’ 241 career receptions are the second-most in school history. A two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, Williams was also the league’s offensive freshman of the year in 2000.

Only Ricky Williams has more career rushing yards at Texas than Benson. He’s the only Longhorn besides Williams to gain more than 5,000 yards (5,540) on the ground. In addition, the late Benson, the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2001, is the school’s all-time record holder with 1,112 rush attempts and second with 64 touchdowns. His 1,834 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns from 2004 each rank fourth in school history and were a big reason Benson won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back. 

Before Johnson became one of the NFL’s best linebackers this century, he laid the foundation for said stardom with the Longhorns. Johnson ranks third in school history with 458 career tackles and is Texas’ all-time leader with 65 tackles for loss. He also recorded 10.5 sacks during his Longhorns tenure. A two-time consensus All-American (2003, ’04), Johnson won the Butkus Awards, Nagurski and Jack Lambert Trophies for his stellar play at linebacker.

The man that helped lead the Longhorns to their most recent national championship to conclude the 2005 campaign. Young just might be the best overall athlete in the history of Texas football. In addition to ranking seventh all-time at Texas with 6,040 passing yards, Young also sits among the school’s top 10 in rushing yards (3,127) and rushing touchdowns (37). His 30 career victories are the second most by any Longhorns quarterback, and his 44 passing touchdowns rank sixth. While Young did not win the Heisman in 2005, he brought home the Maxwell, Manning, and Davey O’Brien Awards.

Orakpo was named Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year as a freshman. When his senior season concluded in 2008, Orakpo brought home the Nagurski Trophy, the Hendricks Trophy, and the Lombardi Award. A menacing presence, Orakpo is one of the most pass rushers in Longhorns’ history. He posted 22 sacks and 38 tackles for loss during his career. Orakpo also recorded more than 130 tackles, forced six fumbles, and was credited with more than 60 quarterback pressures.

In terms of statistical dominance, McCoy is the most successful quarterback in Texas Longhorns’ history. McCoy is the program’s all-time leader in passing yards (11,253), completions (1,157), touchdowns (112), and 200-yard passing games (38), among other career, season, and single-game records. A two-time first-team All-American (2008, ’09), he was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2009, when he also won the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, and Manning Award. The Longhorns went 45-8 during games played by McCoy, whose No. 12 was retired by the university.

Shipley got better in each of his four seasons at Texas. As a freshman in 2006, Shipley recorded 16 catches. By the time he was a senior, that number grew to 116. And even while his collegiate career ended more than 10 years ago, Shipley is still Texas’ all-time leader in receptions (248) and ranks second in receiving yards (3,191) and touchdowns (33). A member of the Longhorns’ 2009 national championship squad, he was a consensus All-American that season when he recorded 1,485 of those yards and a single-season program-record 13 touchdowns.