Ryan Niblett named a first-team All-American by the FWAA, Michael Taaffe and Anthony Hill also honored

Ryan Niblett was named a first-team All-American at return specialist by the Football Writers Association of American on Thursday. Defensive back Michael Taaffe and linebacker Anthony Hill were named second-team All-Americans.

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Niblett, recently named a second-team All-American by On3, had 19 punt returns for 448 yards, averaging an SEC-leading 23.6 yards per return. He also had 10 kick returns for 198 yards.

Niblett returned two punts for touchdowns in 2025. The first was a game-sealing score against Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. The second was a game-tying return that sent Texas’ matchup with Mississippi State to overtime. Niblett had impactful returns versus Kentucky, UTEP, and Sam Houston as well. He is expected to return for the 2026 season.

Taaffe was named a second-team All-American, joining a second-team nod from the AP. The AFCA named Taaffe a first-team All-American. He also took home the Wuerffel Trophy and first-team All-SEC honors.

Hill was named a second-team All-American, joining second-team nods from the AP and AFCA. Hill was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2025.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (6-5, 225, Jr., Miami, Fla.)
RB Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss (5-11, 210, So., Dallas, Texas)
RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (6-0, 214, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.)
WR Makai Lemon, USC (5-11, 195, Jr., Los Alamitos, Calif.)
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (6-3, 223, So., Miami Gardens, Fla.)
TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt (6-4, 235, Gr., Denton, Texas)
OL Spencer Fano, Utah (6-6, 308, Jr., Spanish Fork, Utah)
OL Iapani Laloulu, Oregon (6-2, 329, Jr., Honolulu, Hawaii)
OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama (6-7, 366, Jr., Des Moines, Iowa)
OL Carter Smith, Indiana (6-5, 313, R-Jr., Powell, Ohio)
C Logan Jones, Iowa (6-3, 302, Gr., Council Bluffs, Iowa)

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DE David Bailey, Texas Tech (6-3, 250, Sr., Irvine, Calif.)
DE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M (6-2, 248, R-Sr., Kansas City, Mo.)
DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State (6-3, 326, Jr., Suwanee, Ga.)
DT Landon Robinson, Navy (6-0, 287, Sr., Fairlawn, Ohio)
LB CJ Allen, Georgia (6-1, 235, Jr., Barnesville, Ga.)
LB Aiden Fisher, Indiana (6-1, 233, Sr., Fredericksburg, Va.)
LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech (6-1, 235, Sr., Wichita Falls, Texas)
DB Mansoor Delane, LSU (6-0, 190, Sr., Silver Spring, Md.)
DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State (6-0, 205, Jr., Hoschton, Ga.)
DB Bishop Fitzgerald, USC (5-11, 205, R-Sr., Woodbridge, Va.)
DB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame (6-2, 195, So., Round Rock, Texas)

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS

K Tate Sandell, Oklahoma (5-9, 182, R-Jr., Port Neches, Texas)
P Evan Crenshaw, Troy (6-4, 192, R-Jr., Ponte Vedra, Fla.)
RS Ryan Niblett, Texas (5-10, 187, So., Houston, Texas)
RS Kaden Wetjen, Iowa (5-9, 196, Gr., Williamsburg, Iowa)
AP KC Concepcion, Texas A&M (5-11, 190, Jr., Charlotte, N.C.)

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
RB Cam Cook, Jacksonville State
RB Ahmad Hardy, Missouri
WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
WR Mario Craver, Texas A&M
TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
OL Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
OL Will Jeffcoat, Army
OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami
OL Laurence Seymore, WKU
C Jake Slaughter, Florida. 

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE 

DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
DE John Henry Daley, Utah
DT Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
DT R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
LB Red Murdock, Buffalo
LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
DB Hezekiah Masses, California
DB Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
DB Faletau Satuala, BYU
DB Michael Taaffe, Texas

SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS

K Kansei Matsuzawa, Hawaii
P Keegan Andrews, Massachusetts
RS Caullin Lacy, Louisville
RS Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
AP Emmett Johnson, Nebraska.