A five-star Texas signee and two-time second-team All-American, Anthony Hill Jr. became the first Longhorn drafted in 2026 when the Titans took him in round two.
Anthony Hill Jr. was one of the most productive linebackers in college football over his three seasons at Texas, piling up tackles, sacks and turnovers as the emotional leader of the Longhorns' defense. The Titans made him the 60th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, pairing him with fellow rookie Keldric Faulk on Tennessee's retooled front seven.
Path to the league
Hill was born in Wichita, Kansas, and grew up in Denton, Texas, where he starred at Billy Ryan High School and earned consensus five-star status, ranking among the top 25 recruits nationally. He signed with Texas and became an immediate contributor, starting for three seasons (2023-2025) before declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Over his Texas career, Hill racked up 249 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, eight forced fumbles and three interceptions, establishing himself as one of the most disruptive linebackers in the country. He earned back-to-back second-team Associated Press All-American honors and was a Butkus Award finalist and Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist.
2025 season recap
In his final season at Texas, Hill posted 69 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions despite missing time with a broken hand. He capped the year with second-team All-SEC recognition and a strong combine showing, running a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at 238 pounds, which helped push him into the second round, where the Titans selected him 60th overall.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Anthony Hill Jr.
- ESPN: Anthony Hill Jr. player page
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Texas
- Hometown
- Denton, TX, USA
- Age
- 21
- Status
- active
