One of the top playmakers in Texas Longhorns fall camp has been named a Preseason All-American
We are just 11 days away from the season opener for No. 1 Texas. And as fall camp wraps up, one of the biggest surprises in fall camp is the emergence of freshman defensive back Graceson Littleton. Littleton, a former fast-riser in the 2025 rankings, has received praise from coaches and teammates since the beginning […]
We are just 11 days away from the season opener for No. 1 Texas. And as fall camp wraps up, one of the biggest surprises in fall camp is the emergence of freshman defensive back Graceson Littleton.
Littleton, a former fast-riser in the 2025 rankings, has received praise from coaches and teammates since the beginning of camp. The four-star prospect is working hard to get snaps at the STAR position in Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense.
“He’s a sponge, tremendous work ethic, a football junkie, and he wants to be great. I think that’s contagious with the other kids in the room,” Hudson said of Littleton working with All-American Michael Taaffe.
The athleticism is easy to see when you turn on the tape.
And it doesn’t even have to be football. Littleton ran a 10.91 in the 100 meter dash as well as a 50.30 in the 400 meter as a junior. Ivins got to see him a good bit throughout the recruiting cycle and he’s a big fan. But the jump in ranking and on the field at Texas in fall camp was earned.
“Ascending cornerback prospect with the ideal mix of size and speed. Put himself on the national radar spring before senior season, clocking a laser-timed 4.51 effort in the 40-yard dash at an Under Armour Next Camp outside of Orlando,” Ivins said. “Comfortable at this stage in press-man coverage as he fights for leverage and does his best to maintain phase while out on the perimeter. Not a ton of ball production to date (only had one interception as a junior), but is competitive when the football is in the air and will do his best to shade throwing lanes.
“Tries to get off blocks and will use his turbo to get across the field and make tackles in pursuit. Should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter at the Power Four level and a possible all-conference selection if he can keep progressing,” Ivins said. “Likely to find the most success in a defensive scheme that wants to man-up on the outside and get aggressive, but could also always get a look over the top with his range.”
Returning starter and All-American linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., is also hyping up the freshman.
ESPN’s Billy Tucker is also buying Graceson Littleton stock.
“If you were ranking off spring and fall camp performance, Littleton might be at the top of this list as opposed to the bottom. He was the ninth-highest-rated recruit in the Longhorns’ top-ranked class of 2025, but recruiting is not an exact science,” Tucker said. “Though he ran a verified 4.51 at 6 feet, 175 pounds, athletes such as Justus Terry or Jonah Williams headlined the class and were the talk of the offseason in terms of impactful defensive newcomers.
“Littleton is playing fast, physical and opportunistic football, which he did during his high school career at Wiregrass Ranch High School in Tampa, Florida,” Tucker said. “Littleton could lock down the starting nickel position to open the season or at least be in the rotation.”
