First-team honorees Kelvin Banks Jr. (OL) and Bert Auburn (PK) headline 10 Texas Football standouts who earned 2024 Preseason Coaches' All-SEC distinction, the league office announced.
QB Quinn Ewers, WR Isaiah Bond, KOS Will Stone and DBs Andrew Mukuba and Jahdae Barron landed on the second team, while EDGE Trey Moore, LB Anthony Hill Jr. and DB Malik Muhammad earned third-team nods.
Banks Jr. is a third-year offensive lineman who has played in and started 27 games for the Longhorns. Heading into the 2024 season, Banks Jr. has garnered preseason first-team All-SEC recognition and preseason first-team All-America nods by CBS Sports, ESPN and The Athletic. Additionally, Banks was named to the preseason watch lists for the 2024 Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award.
The Humble, Texas, product is coming off a sensational 2023 campaign where he was named Second-Team All-America by the Associated Press, All-Big 12 First Team by the conference's coaches, a Joe Moore Award semifinalist and an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection as Offensive Lineman of the Year. Playing in and starting all 14 games for the Longhorns at left tackle, Banks Jr. was part of an offensive line that blocked for Doak Walker Award semifinalist Jonathon Brooks and Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist Quinn Ewers. Anchoring one of the best offensive lines in college football, Banks helped open holes for running backs Brooks (1,158 yards), CJ Baxter (659 yards) and Jaydon Blue (398 yards). He blocked for the fifth running back duo in UT history with a 1,000- and 600-yard rusher. He helped Texas rack up 454 yards of total offense in the Longhorns' victory at No. 3 Alabama on Sept. 9, 2023, marking the program's first-ever win on the road against an AP top-three ranked program. In the Big 12 Championship game versus Oklahoma State, Banks Jr. and the offense totaled 662 yards of offense in the win – the seventh-most in program history.
Auburn is a fourth-year kicker who has appeared in 28 games and received first-team All-Big 12 praise by the league's coaches to go along with honorable mention All-America honors by Phil Steele in 2023. Heading into the 2024 season, Auburn has compiled multiple preseason honors, including First-Team All-SEC, Second-Team All-America by Phil Steele, and selection to the preseason watch list for the Lou Groza Award. Auburn has connected on 50-of-61 field goal attempts (81.97 percent) throughout his career on the 40 Acres.
The Flower Mound, Texas, product is coming off a sensational 2023 season where he established UT single-season records for field goals made (29) and points scored by a kicker (143). Auburn also set the Texas and Big 12 Conference record with 19-consecutive field goals made. Auburn's 143 points were also the third-most in a season in program history for any position, while he connected on 82.9% of field goal attempts – the seventh-best single-season mark in UT history. He made 29-of-35 field goal attempts and all 56 PATs during his junior campaign with 11 of his makes from 40+ yards out, including two from 50+ yards out (54 yards versus Texas Tech, 50 yards versus Iowa State). Versus Oklahoma, Auburn made all three field goals, including a 47-yard try and all three point after attempts. He was successful on all four field goals with a 49-yarder against Kansas State, earning Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week and Lou Groza Star of the Week honors. Against Iowa State, he kicked a career-long 50-yard field goal and converted on all three field goal attempts. Following up his standout performance versus the Cyclones, Auburn scored a Texas place-kicker record 21 points and tied the program record with five field goals while making six point-after tries against Texas Tech. He was given the CBS Sports Inside College Football's Game Ball for his performance against the Red Raiders.
A native of Southlake, Texas, Ewers is a third-year quarterback who has led Texas to 16 wins in 22 starts in his career. His 5,656 career passing yards rank eighth all-time in Texas history and his 37 career passing touchdowns are tied for seventh. In addition to being selected to the preseason watch list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, Ewers has been recognized on the Davey O'Brien Award, Johnny United Golden Arm Award, Manning Award, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year watch lists.
In 2023, Ewers completed 272-of-294 passes (69 percent) for 3,479 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions, while he rushed 59 times for 75 yards and five touchdowns. His 3,479 passing yards were fourth-most in a season in UT history and his 272 completions rank sixth. Ewers had six 300-yard passing games, which is tied for the most in a season in program history. Earning the Big 12 Championship's Most Outstanding Player, Ewers completed 35-of-46 passes for 452 yards and four touchdowns, breaking the Big 12 Championship Game record and establishing career-highs for completions and passing yards, while also equaling the Big 12 Championship Game and his personal best with four touchdown passes. Ewers put together a sensational performance in Texas' 34-24 victory at No. 3 Alabama on Sept. 9, 2023, receiving Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, Maxwell Player of the Week, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week honors after connecting on 24-of-38 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns to top the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. In the College Football Playoff semifinals versus No. 2 Washington at the Sugar Bowl, Ewers completed 24-of-43 passes for 318 yards and a score. On the season, he had at least one passing touchdown in each of his 12 starts and recorded six games with multiple passing touchdowns. Ewers was tabbed a 2023 AP All-Big 12 Second Team selection. In his first season on the 40 Acres in 2022, Ewers was named honorable mention Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year by the league's coaches after playing in and starting 10 games. Ewers completed 172-of-296 passes (58.1%) for 2,177 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions while his 2,177 passing yards were the fifth-most for a Texas freshman QB and the 22nd-most in Texas history. His 15 touchdown passes were the fourth-most in a season by a Texas freshman.
In addition to receiving preseason coaches' All-SEC praise, Ewers has been recognized on the Davey O'Brien Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, Johnny United Golden Arm Award, Manning Award, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year watch lists.
Bond played in 27 games with 12 starts during his career at Alabama, registering 65 catches for 888 yards (13.7 ypr) and five touchdowns over the past two seasons in helping the Crimson Tide to a College Football Playoff semifinals appearance in 2023 and an Allstate Sugar Bowl Championship in 2022.
This past season, Bond led Alabama with 48 receptions for 668 yards (13.9 ypr) and four touchdowns in 14 games with 11 starts. He gathered at least three catches in each of the last seven games and pulled in at least four receptions five of the last six. One of his biggest plays came when he hauled in the 31-yard go-ahead touchdown with 32 seconds left to lift Alabama to an Iron Bowl victory over Auburn. Bond also set career highs of seven receptions and 96 yards with one touchdown against Texas A&M.
In 2022, Bond saw time in all 13 games with one start, splitting time at receiver and on special teams, totaling 17 receptions for 220 yards and a touchdown. He had season highs of four catches against Auburn and 76 receiving yards at Arkansas, while notching his first career receiving touchdown against Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl.
Also collecting preseason second-team All-SEC distinguishment by the media, Stone is a third-year kicker who has played in 27 games for the Longhorns. The Austin, Texas, product played in all 14 games in 2023, handling kickoff duties each game. He kicked off 96 times for 6,130 yards (63.9 avg) with 49 touchbacks while logging five tackles. As a true freshman in 2022, Stone appeared in all 13 games handling kickoff duties. He kicked off 86 times for 5,369 yards (62.4 avg) with 26 touchbacks.
A transfer defensive back from Clemson, Mukuba was credited with 149 tackles (4.5 for loss), one sack, 20 pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one interception in 35 games (31 starts) from 2021-23. An Austin, Texas, native, Mukuba made an immediate impact in 2021 to earn Freshman All-America selection from nearly every outlet in 2021 and became the first true freshman defensive back to start a season opener for Clemson since freshman eligibility in 1972. He recorded 45 tackles (2.0 for loss), seven pass breakups and a fumble recovery after starting all 10 games in 2023. He posted seven tackles (1.5 for loss) and a pass breakup vs. No. 12 Notre Dame and registered three tackles and two pass breakups (plus an additional pass breakup on a two-point conversion attempt) vs. No. 20 North Carolina. In 2022, Mukuba tallied 50 tackles (0.5 for loss), four pass breakups and an interception over 12 games (11 starts). He filed eight tackles in the Orange Bowl vs. No. 6 Tennessee. As a true freshman in 2021, he played in 13 games (10 starts), collecting 54 tackles (two for loss), one sack, nine pass breakups and one fumble recovery. In addition, Mukuba claimed preseason second-team All-SEC honors by the media.
A fifth-year defensive back who has played in 41 games with 23 starts, Barron was named a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist last year. As a junior in 2023, Barron played in 14 games with 12 starts, registering 61 tackles (32 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one fumble recovery and a career-high six pass breakups. A native of Austin, Texas, Barron tallied four tackles (three solo) and had a 16-yard interception return against No. 3 Alabama that shut down the Crimson Tide's first offensive drive and was named the East-West Shrine Bowl Texas Star of the Week following his dominant performance in the win. In the Red River Rivalry versus Oklahoma, Barron had a team-high 11 tackles (five solo) and one tackle for loss. Barron also posted a 10-plus tackle game with 11 (six solo) to go along with one sack and a 0.5 tackle for loss Week 3 against Wyoming. In the Big 12 Championship versus Oklahoma State, Barron recorded two tackles and two pass breakups to seal the conference crown.
Barron has been named to the preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award.
Moore enters his first season on the 40 Acres after transferring to Texas from UTSA in spring 2024. He was also tabbed to the Lombardi Award 2024 preseason watch list. He was named the 2023 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and recognized on the AAC first-team. A three-time AAC Defensive Player of the Week in 2023, Moore posted 45 total tackles, including 30 solo stops, 17.5 tackles for a loss and a school-record 14 sacks – only 0.5 shy of the AAC single-season record – with one forced fumble, one interception and four passes defended. The San Antonio, Texas, product had 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble against UAB. He logged a season-high seven tackles with three sacks each against Texas State and East Carolina.
As a freshman in 2022, Moore hauled in Freshman All-America distinguishment from the Football Writers Association of America, The Athletic and College Football News in 2022. He was selected to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team and Honorable Mention All-Conference. Starting all 14 contests at outside backer, he broke the school single-season record for tackles for loss with 18. He tallied 59 total tackles, 30 solo stops, eight sacks, six pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Hill Jr. looks to build upon a breakout freshman season in 2023 where he earned a spot on the FWAA's Freshman All-America team to go along with co-Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. The Denton, Texas, product was also named honorable mention All-Big 12, a Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalist and a Freshman All-America selection by ESPN, The Athletic and the College Football Network. Hill Jr. played in all 14 games with six starts and recorded 66 tackles (40 solo), 8.0 tackles for loss, five sacks, one forced fumble, four quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. His five sacks tied for fourth-most by a Longhorn freshman and are the third-most by a Texas true freshman. The eight tackles for loss by Hill Jr. equaled the eighth-most for a UT freshman and sixth-most for a true freshman. He had a breakout performance in the win at No. 3 Alabama, logging six tackles (four solo stops) with two tackles for loss and two sacks, including one in the Crimson Tide's final offensive play of the game. Following the win at Alabama, Hill Jr. earned Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Week and 247Sports True Freshman of the Week honors. Hill Jr. was selected to the 2024 preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Butkus Award.
Muhammad is a second-year defensive back who has played in 14 games with two starts during his freshman campaign. In his lone season on the 40 Acres, Muhammad totaled 31 tackles (21 solo), one interception, four pass breakups and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. In his Longhorn debut against Rice, he had five solo tackles and a pass breakup. In the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma, he scooped up a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown. He had three tackles (one solo), one pass breakup and hauled in his first career interception against Texas Tech. Making his first career start in the Big 12 Championship game versus Oklahoma State, he accumulated four solo tackles and one pass breakup. Muhammad had three tackles (two solo) in a start against Washington in the Sugar Bowl. He also picked up 2024 preseason honors after being named second-team All-SEC by the media.
