Best Texas football players: Modern-era Mount Rushmore
By Nick Villano
![BERKELEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Former player Ricky Williams of the Texas Longhorns stands on the sideline before a game against the California Golden Bears on September 17, 2016 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. Cal won 50-43. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) BERKELEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Former player Ricky Williams of the Texas Longhorns stands on the sideline before a game against the California Golden Bears on September 17, 2016 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. Cal won 50-43. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/a2f95567e6ed1ef52317c26e33ff2a251e86e9424fabbdb060b776eff9514857.jpg)
The best Texas football players since 1980, including Vince Young and Ricky Williams, make up half of the Texas football modern-era Mount Rushmore.
Texas football is a team with a long history of amazing talent. They’ve had 15 players selected in the top five of the NFL Draft, and even in down seasons, they have amazing players coming through.
They’ve had some of the most miraculous games in our memory on some awesome stages. Those games were led by some of the superstars you’d one day see in the league.
Making a modern-era Mount Rushmore (since 1980) is difficult for part of it. One must decide whether individual stats are more important than on-the-field accomplishments (more importantly, National Championships). The Longhorns beating a powerhouse USC team makes me want to put the entire roster on this Mount Rushmore. But, of course, quarterback Vince Young, makes this because you can’t talk about the exceptionalism of the Texas football program of the last 40 years without mentioning No. 10.
But who else joins VY on the Texas football Mount Rushmore? There were some obvious candidates but only three spots left to fill.