Texas Stars Hill and Taaffe Earn All-American Honors, Set Sights on NFL Draft
Texas football is sending a pair of defensive standouts to the next level, and they’re going out with some serious hardware. Linebacker Anthony Hill and safety Michael Taaffe were both named to the Associated Press All-American teams after strong 2025 campaigns, capping off a 9-3 season for the Longhorns.
Hill landed on the second-team defense, while Taaffe earned a third-team nod. Both have officially opted out of the upcoming Cheez-It Citrus Bowl to begin preparing for the NFL Draft.
Let’s start with Hill, who’s been a force in the middle of Texas’ defense all season. The junior linebacker finished third on the team with 69 tackles, tied for second in tackles for loss with seven, and made his presence felt as a pass rusher with four sacks. He also showed growth in coverage, notching two interceptions - a sign of his evolving versatility at the next level.
Hill’s impact was most evident in big moments. He posted three double-digit tackle games this season, none bigger than his performance against Mississippi State, where he racked up three sacks and four tackles for loss - a game that looked like a highlight reel for a first-round pick. And here’s the kicker: Hill missed the final two games of the season with a hand injury, which makes his production all the more impressive.
Then there’s Taaffe - the heartbeat of the Longhorns’ secondary. From his free safety spot, the fifth-year senior piled up 70 tackles, second only to fellow safety Jelani McDonald.
Taaffe’s leadership and instincts were on display all year, but his signature moment came in the Red River Rivalry. Against Oklahoma, he tallied nine tackles and delivered a clutch sack on quarterback John Mateer that helped swing momentum in Texas’ favor.
Injuries sidelined Taaffe for two games late in the year, and his return against Georgia and Arkansas showed a bit of rust. But he made sure his final collegiate game would be one to remember. In the fourth quarter against Texas A&M, Taaffe sealed the win with a late interception of quarterback Marcel Reed - a walk-off moment for a player who’s given everything to the program.
On Monday, Taaffe made his NFL Draft declaration official and took a moment to thank Longhorn Nation:
*"From the moment I stepped on campus, y’all have given me the support system any player would die for.
My memories are not my memories without y’all cheering on the burnt orange every weekend." *
While Hill and Taaffe are headed for the pros, one name not on the All-American list raised some eyebrows: Colin Simmons. The sophomore edge rusher finished tied for sixth nationally with 11 sacks - just a half sack behind Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell, who made the first team.
Simmons started the season slow, managing just 1.5 sacks in the first five games. But once he found his rhythm, he was nearly unstoppable.
Over his final seven games, he exploded for 9.5 sacks, including two multi-sack performances against Oklahoma and Kentucky. It was a reminder of why he won the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award just a season ago - the talent is there, and it’s elite.
Simmons will be back for at least one more year in Austin, and if his second-half surge is any indication, he’ll enter next season as one of the most feared edge rushers in the country - and a top prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft.
For now, Texas sends two defensive anchors off to the NFL with All-American honors in hand, and one rising star is just getting warmed up.