Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Texas star offensive lineman named to Outland Trophy Watch List as he tries to follow in the footsteps of former Longhorn winners

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Berry | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 5:22 PM ET

Texas Longhorns offensive lineman DJ Campbell was named to the preseason watch list for the 80th Outland Trophy. It has been awarded annually to the best college interior lineman on offense or defense since 1946.

This is Campbell's inaugural appearance on the watch list for the Outland Trophy. Texas won back-to-back trophies in 2023 and 2024 when T'Vondre Sweat and Kelvin Banks, Jr., won it. Three other Longhorns won the award in Scott Appleton (1963), linebacker Tommy Nobis (1965), and defensive lineman Brad Shearer (1977) all took home the hardware.

Heading into the 2025 season, Campbell has been named to the preseason First-Team All-SEC squad. The 6-foot-3, prospect from Arlington, Tex., has played in 37 career games with 30 starts. Last season, Campbell started all 16 games at guard.

The Longhorns' offensive line in 2024 was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, which goes to the nation's most outstanding offensive line group. The big uglies up front where a big reason for Quinn Ewers throwing for 3,472 yards and 31 touchdowns and Tre Wisney running for 1,064 yards.

Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns offensive lineman DJ Campbell (52) and Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) in action during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

DJ Campbell is the lone returning starter up front for Texas in 2025.

Offensive line coach knows what he is getting from the Outland Trophy watch list player. But, he didn't hesitate to talk about how excited he is for the rest of the group on Tuesday during media availability.

“I love the upside of all these guys,” Flood said. “What determines the ability to play early and how consistently you play in the game is your ability to perform.”

The Texas staffer mentioned Jackson Christian and Nick Brooks as two 2025 signees who “have progressed well” but “training camp becomes the real test”.

Jordan and Devin Coleman are hard to miss – standing 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-4 respectively. But, the early returns off the scale from Flood are promising.

“They’re still getting caught up a little bit. Watching them move around in the summer, I’m really excited about their futures.”

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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