Is Anthony Hill Jr. returning in 2025? Closer look at Texas LB's NCAA eligibility

Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. was a key part of the strong Longhorns defense from last season. As with many key players in college football, fans have been asking questions about Hill's future, especially on the subject of the player returning for another season with the Longhorns.

Let's have a look if he will return for Steve Sarkisian's team in 2025.

Is Anthony Hill Jr. Returning in 2025?

Anthony Hill has not made a public statement on his return. This is because the 2024 season was his sophomore year.

This means he isn't eligible for the NFL draft in 2025, requiring an extra year of college football. Unlike most of his returning teammates, Hill did not need to make a statement confirming his return, as it was widely expected.

Returning to Austin for 2025 will allow him to improve on what was a strong sophomore year for the linebacker. During the 2024 season, Hill recorded 59 solo tackles (113 total), eight sacks, four forced fumbles and one interception. He shined during the Longhorns' playoff run, recording 23 tackles in the three games Texas played in the CFP.

In all, Hill led the team in defensive stats, followed by fellow star player Michael Taaffe. Both will return for the 2025 season, meaning that the Longhorns' defense will again be one of the strongest in the country. Pair this with an offense that will be led by highly rated quarterback Arch Manning, and Texas fans expect the team to contend for both the SEC title and the national championship in 2025.

Where could Anthony Hill Jr. go in the 2026 NFL draft?

Anthony Hill was not eligible for the 2025 NFL draft. However, he will be allowed to declare for the 2026 edition if he wants to. Even without knowing if he will declare or what kind of 2025 season Hill will have, several websites have been predicting where he is likely to be selected.

One of these sites is NFL Draft Buzz. It predicts that Hill will be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft if he declares. He would be seen as the best linebacker available and the 20th-best player overall.

These figures can change depending on how his season goes. Additionally, he does not have to declare in 2026, as he has two more years of eligibility. Whatever happens, the Longhorns have a defensive star in the making.

About the author

Ben Tredinnick is a journalist who covers college football and college basketball at Sportskeeda who is currently studying for a masters in Data Science. His degree in Psychology has helped him gain an in-depth understanding of the minds of coaches.

Ben has been involved in sports writing since 2022 and covered the NFL previously. His strengths include providing in-depth profiles of athletes and coaches, with a particular focus on development, and looking at which teams could be in the hunt for today's college stars.

Ben enjoys following college sports more than the NBA or NFL because there is more variation in terms of playstyles. The tournaments are often more competitive than the major leagues, and due to the constant turnover of players, there are rarely any "superteams" in college sports.

He prioritizes research, looks at multiple sources and publications to make sure he gets the full picture of the story before writing. He tries not to write from a one-sided perspective to allow the reader to be able to make their mind up on their own.

A Texas Longhorns fan, as well as a massive New York Giants fan, some of his favorite college players of all time are Arch Manning, Tim Tebow and Reggie Bush.

When he is not working, Ben enjoys watching films (especially Godzilla) and spending time with his cat.

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Edited by R. Elahi