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Six Longhorns make the Senior Bowl top 300 watch list

Joe Cookby: Joe Cook08/20/25josephcook89
Jaylon Guilbeau
Jaylon Guilbeau (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

Six Longhorns were named to the Panini Senior Bowl’s top 300 watch list on Wednesday. Michael Taaffe, Jaylon Guilbeau, Anthony Hill Jr., Trey Moore, Ethan Burke, and DJ Campbell were the selections from the Texas football program for the Senior Bowl’s first-ever top 300 list.

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“We decided to trim our watchlist from 850 to 300 to raise the bar and truly spotlight the top-tier talent across the country,” said Senior Bowl Executive Director Drew Fabianich in a statement. “Our staff has been working rigorously to identify the top talent in this year’s draft class and the players on this list have stood out so far, but this is just the beginning. This season is the most valuable part of our process and there is still plenty of football to be played. Our scouts will be on the road every week, tracking how these players perform and who continues to rise.”

The list features only players eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Taaffe, a fifth-year senior, was a second-team All-American last season according to the Associated Press. The leader of the Texas defense, last season Taaffe logged 78 tackles, two interceptions, and 10 pass breakups in 2024 and returned for his senior season after considering entering the 2025 draft.

Guilbeau, a senior, recorded 58 tackles with one sack and three passes defended last year. He primarily played the Star position but is a likely starter at boundary corner this season though he is being pushed by Kobe Black.

Hill, a junior, led Texas in tackles last year with 113 and in TFL with 16.5. He was a second-team All-American according to multiple publications last season and is one of the top prospects for the 2026 NFL draft.

Moore, a senior, transferred in last year after several seasons with UTSA. He earned the American’s defensive player of the year award in 2023. In 2024 with Texas as an EDGE, Moore had 35 tackles with 10 TFL, 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles. He is playing a more hybridized position this season.

Burke, a senior, played behind Barryn Sorrell at Jack last year. Burke had 27 tackles with nine for loss and 2.0 sacks. He had one pick six and made the touchdown-stuffing tackle at the goal line in the Texas A&M game to keep the Aggie offense out of the end zone.

Campbell, a senior, is the lone returning starter on the offensive line for the Longhorns. Having appeared in 37 games with 30 starts, Campbell has been a regular contributor for Texas since his true freshman season in 2023.

The 2026 Panini Senior Bowl will be Saturday, January 31, 2026 in Mobile, Ala. at South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium. The game will be at 1:30 p.m. and NFL Network will televise the event.

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Senior Bowl Top 300 Breakdown

  • Total schools represented: 86 schools
  • Conference Breakdown: “Power 5” Schools
    • SEC: 109 players
    • Big 10: 68 players
    • ACC: 53 players
    • Big 12: 43 players
  • “Group of 5” Breakdown: 19 players
  • FCS Breakdown: 5 players
  • Total players from “Group of 5” and lower: 24 players
  • Most players represented: LSU (14)
  • 5 schools with 10 or more players represented: LSU (14), Alabama (13), Ole Miss (10), Oklahoma (10), Penn State (10)
  • Total Underclassmen: 54 players

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