Texas football 2025 defensive backs preview: Who else returns with safety Michael Taaffe?

Posted by author February 2, 2025 Football

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With the Texas football program now in the offseason, the American-Statesman is breaking down each position group.

Who’s gone from the 2024 squad that went 13-3 and fell a win short a national title-game appearance? Who’s back? And what portal arrivals and freshmen from the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class have joined the team?

The Longhorns are coming off an impressive season that includes a record 16-game schedule, a spot in the SEC championship game, a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals for the second consecutive season, and a final ranking of No. 3 in the US LBM Coaches Poll for the past season. The ranking marks the best showing for the Longhorns in the final coaches’ poll since 2009. The 53 coaches who vote in the poll listed Texas behind just national champion Ohio State and national runner-up Notre Dame.

Can Texas make another push for a CFP spot in 2025? The roster has a few holes but also boasts loads of potential, as evident by the program’s high ranking in way-too-early preseason polls.

This week, the Statesman will have a daily position-by-position breakdown of the 2025 Texas roster entering the offseason. Earlier this week, we looked at quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, the offensive line, the defensive line and linebackers. Today, we look at the Longhorns’ secondary.

Texas football DBs: Who’s gone?

S Andrew Mukuba (eligibility), CB Jahdae Barron (eligibility), CB Gavin Holmes (eligibility), CB Jay’Vion Cole (transfer).

Texas football DBs: Who’s back?

Rising junior S Derek Williams Jr., rising graduate S Michael Taaffe, rising senior CB Jaylon Guilbeau, rising junior CB Malik Muhammad, rising sophomore CB Kobe Black, rising sophomore S Xavier Filsaime, rising sophomore S Jordon Johnson-Rubell, rising redshirt sophomore S Warren Roberson, rising junior S Jelani McDonald, rising sophomore S Wardell Mack, rising redshirt freshman CB Santana Wilson.

Texas football DBs: Who’s new?

S Jonah Williams, a five-star recruit from Galveston; CB Kade Phillips, a four-star recruit from Missouri City; CB Graceson Littleton, a four-star recruit from Wesley Chapel, Florida; S Zelus Hicks, a four-star recruit from Carrollton, Georgia; CB Caleb Chester, a three-star recruit from Missouri City.

Texas football DBs: Overview

Texas must replace two starters in safety Mukuba and a Thorpe Award winner in cornerback Barron, but the program has spent plenty of recruiting capital on the secondary over the past two cycles. Taaffe (78 tackles, 10 pass breakups, two INTs) and Muhammad (36 tackles, 8 pass breakups) return as two of the best DBs in the SEC, Guilbeau (58 tackles, 3 pass breakups) comes back after an impressive debut as a starter at nickel, and McDonald and Williams both have starting experience. The safety crop, which looks especially loaded, could be even better if blue-chip recruit Williams becomes a regular contributor.

Reach Texas beat reporter Thomas Jones via email at tjones@statesman.com.

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