Three Longhorns named to Chuck Bednarik Watch List
As if today couldn’t get any more notable for the now No. 1 Texas Longhorns, three players have been selected to the Chuck Bednarik Preseason Watch List, an award given to the best defensive player in all of college football.
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It should come as no surprise that Anthony Hill, Colin Simmons, and Michael Taaffe are the three selections, a trio that encompasses Texas’ strength on all three levels of the defense.
Texas is one of seven schools with three or more candidates on the watch list, with Hill being the only one of the three to be a semifinalist last year. He and Jahdae Barron were each noted as some of the best defensive players in the country last year but did not make the final three spots in 2024, with the award going to Heisman winner Travis Hunter.
Hill is racking up preseason watch list notoriety so far, having already been selected to the Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award, Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and Lott IMPACT Trophy watch lists ahead of the 2025 season. Hill is in his third year with the Longhorns and has made a name for himself as one of the most intimidating linebackers in the country.
In his true sophomore season last year, Hill registered 113 tackles, a conference-leading 17 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles. Hill has been one of Texas’ best individual players for two seasons now as both a Mike linebacker and pass rusher, which can be seen with his 13 career sacks in just two years.
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Simmons is seen as one of the premier players who will headline a potentially historic 2027 draft, notching a team-high nine sacks as well as 14 tackles for loss despite playing the 13th-most snaps on the defense. Now a true sophomore in a starting role, Simmons is expected to take one of the largest leaps in Texas defensive history, with expectations of potentially record-breaking sack numbers in Year Two. Many analysts believe he is the best pass rusher in the nation, despite playing under 30 snaps a game in 2024.
Taaffe is the heart and soul of the Texas defense, now entering his fifth year in the program as a former walk-on. Taaffe starred in a trio of Austin natives in last year’s secondary with Andrew Mukuba and Barron opposite him. Taaffe recorded 78 tackles, six for loss, and two interceptions last season and was one of two players, alongside Barron, with double-digit passes defended in 2024. Taaffe’s heroics against Texas A&M solidified his status as a Longhorn legend, but now he is receiving real national acclaim.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced Nov. 11, 2025, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled Nov. 25, 2025.
