Texas vs Georgia: a clash filled with pro-level talent

Every time Texas plays a team at the top of the college football mountain—whether that be Alabama in 2023, Georgia and Ohio State last year, or those same Buckeyes and Bulldogs this year—it’s always striking to see the sheer level of talent on display from both sides.

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Take a look back at that Alabama game. Texas had the likes of top-10 pick Kelvin Banks and Super Bowl scorer Xavier Worthy on its offense, while the defense was littered with four NFL defensive tackles and first-rounder Jahdae Barron, all of whom were joined by underclassman versions of current Texas stars.

But you can’t forget what was on the Crimson Tide side of the field: top-12 offensive linemen JC Latham and Tyler Booker, first-round defenders like Dallas Turner and Terrion Arnold, and freshman Caleb Downs.

These types of matchups are always fun to look at a few years later, but sometimes the talent is too strong to ignore when they’re on the field as college students. When Texas played Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, it was clear how good both teams were. That’s why they combined for 25 total draft picks last season, six of which ended up as first-rounders.

Heading into this matchup in 2025, the top-end talent may not be quite as evident, but these are two teams drowning in NFL talent.

First, the LB pair of Anthony Hill Jr. and CJ Allen make up two of the top four in what could be a generational LB class. Texas will see two of the best LB pairs this season in Allen and Raylen Wilson, as well as the other two top LBs in the class, Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles.

Both teams have a notable CB in this deep class for defensive backs, with Malik Muhammad and Daylen Everette holding expectations to be Day Two or better CB prospects for multiple years now. Just like Hill and Muhammad, Georgia’s Allen and Everette have been starters on the Georgia defense since the 2023 season, surrounded by future NFL talent.

Additionally, on the defense, Georgia DL Christen Miller is expected to be a second-round defensive lineman, while the pair of Texas safeties Michael Taaffe and Jelani McDonald are playing elite football with hopes of being the first safety taken after Downs in this year’s draft.

Offensively, both teams have a notable WR-TE duo, though when exactly they declare is still a mystery. Texas’ Ryan Wingo is just a true sophomore but is already getting major buzz ahead of the 2027 draft, while Jack Endries may stay another year to bump his own stock up. Georgia’s Oscar Delp has to enter the draft, but he’ll likely be one of the first five taken. Speedster Zachariah Branch has another year of eligibility but may be playing himself inside the first three rounds of the draft in the spring.

What is most striking about these two programs, however, is the sheer talent they might be able to keep away from the draft.

Texas will obviously try to return Endries, but we expect Trevor Goosby to return to school, even with potential top-50 draft expectations. Georgia hopes to do the same thing with redshirt junior left tackle Monroe Freeling.

Georgia would love to return Branch alongside TE Lawson Luckie, a junior, in a similar way that Texas would like to keep the pair of Endries and DeAndre Moore, a junior WR.

Where these teams are most talented, however, is with players expected to come out in the 2027 draft.

Texas’ players are well-documented. Outside of your Goosby and Endries types, Texas fans know they only have one more year after this of Arch Manning and Wingo, two expected first-round picks. Bulldog fans also know that Gunner Stockton will be out of eligibility after next year, while RBs Chauncey Bowens and Nate Frazier will be pushing to be at the top of the RB class.

Defensively is where these two teams really shine. Each team has a potential top-10 pick waiting in the wings: EDGE Colin Simmons for Texas and SAF KJ Bolden for Georgia. Simmons is well known by the CFB world, and it would be shocking to see him outside the top five in next year’s class. Bolden is the next version of Caleb Downs, a hyper-athletic safety who can do everything on the field. He may not be a top-10 pick because of his position, but he’s got a great shot to be the first safety off the board.

That still leaves players like Ellis Robinson IV, a former No. 2 recruit, and Chris Cole, Georgia’s next version of Jalon Walker. Texas also believes they’ll have the likes of Hero Kanu, Liona Lefau, and Brad Spence in their final year of eligibility on the defensive side of the ball.

Lastly, these teams each have freshmen who will be forces in college football for a long time.

Texas has Lance Jackson and Graceson Littleton on defense, two players you can already see turning into first-round picks in the NFL. Joining them is Georgia’s Elijah Griffin, a true freshman DT already making moves in their rotation, as well as the giant offensive line duo of Dontrell Glover and Juan Gaston, players who may be starting on Saturday for the Bulldogs.

Past the obvious ones, each team has an elite TE prospect in Nick Townsend and Elyiss Williams, who see real playing time. WR prospects like Kaliq Lockett, Daylan McCutcheon, and Talyn Taylor highlight both classes, and these defenses can’t wait to unleash Justus Terry, Jonah Williams, Isaiah Gibson, and Zayden Walker next year.