No. 3 Texas has exceeded many expectations with their explosive offense and swarming defense so far this season.
From the bottom to the top, third-year head coach Steve Sarkisian has built this Texas team to his liking and doesn’t look to slow down after starting the year with a 5-0 record.
What has made the Longhorns so good this year isn’t just the skill position players, it’s also the trenches. Texas has two of the best offensive tackles in college football in Kelvin Banks and Christian Jones, and arguably the best interior defensive line led by T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II.
Texas has an abundance of star talent and NFL-ready players on this roster, but here are the top 15 ranked Longhorns through five weeks of the season according to Pro Football Focus.
Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks runs for a touchdown against the Kansas Jayhawks in the third quarter at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Saturday September 30, 2023.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers celebrates his touchdown in the first quarter against the Kansas Jayhawks at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Saturday September 30, 2023.
PFF grade: 79.3
Byron Murphy II (DI)
Texas Longhorns defensive end Barryn Sorrell (88) and Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Byron Murphy II (90) take down Wyoming Cowboys quarterback Evan Svoboda (17) during the Texas Longhorns’ game against the Wyoming Cowboys, Saturday, Sept. 16 at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.
PFF grade: 79.2
Christian Jones (T)
Offensive lineman Christian Jones hypes up fans during Texas’s game against Louisiana at Darrell K. Royal Stadium on Sept. 4, 2021. Texas won the game 38-18.
Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford (41) celebrates after the Longhorns’ game against the Kansas Jayhawks, Saturday, Sept. 30 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Texas won the game 40-14.
PFF grade: 77.7
Jahdae Barron (S)
Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron recovers a fumble against the Kansas Jayhawks in the third quarter at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Saturday September 30, 2023.
PFF grade: 77.3
Ja'Tavion Sanders (TE)
Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders (0) celebrates a first down against Baylor in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Waco, Texas.
PFF grade: 74.1
Malik Muhammad (CB)
Texas defensive back Malik Muhammad (5) rips the ball out of Baylor tight end Drake Dabney (89) hands in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Waco, Texas.
PFF grade: 72.9
Kelvin Banks (T)
Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) and Texas running back CJ Baxter (4) celebrate a touchdown against Baylor in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Waco, Texas.
PFF grade: 71.6
Gavin Holmes (CB)
Texas Longhorns defensive back Austin Jordan (4) and Texas Longhorns defensive back Gavin Holmes (9) makes a tackle on Rice Owls cornerback Tre’shon Devones (2) in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Austin, Texas.
PFF grade: 71.1
CJ Baxter (HB)
Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter Jr. (4) stiff arms Rice Owls cornerback Sean Fresch (1) in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Austin, Texas.
PFF grade: 71.0
Vernon Broughton (DI)
Sep 2, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Vernon Broughton (45) rushes during the first half against the Rice Owls at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Texas Longhorns wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) reaches for a touchdown catch against Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Sep. 9, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
PFF grade: 69.7
Jerrin Thompson (S)
Texas Longhorns defensive back Jerrin Thompson (28) intercepts the ball from Wyoming Cowboys wide receiver Ayir Asante (5) during the Texas Longhorns’ game against the Wyoming Cowboys, Saturday, Sept. 16 at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Thompson went on to score a touchdown.
Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger and SI's Pat Forde discuss if rematches are bad for college football, react to kick off times for the College Football Playoff, and remember the Pac-12 after its death.
On today's episode, Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger and SI's Pat Forde react to UConn men's basketball coach Dan Hurley turning down the opportunity to coach the Los Angeles Lakers, and Caitlin Clark being snubbed for the Olympics.
The NFL schedule release, much to the chagrin of Andy Behrens, has become a thing. But here on the Yahoo Fantasy pod, we take the schedule release and turn it into a goldmine of fantasy content and conversation. Now that we know the when, Dalton Del Don and Behrens identify when we will know the answers to the most important fantasy questions of the 2024 NFL season.
