AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football junior wide receiver Xavier Worthy and sophomore offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. were named second team Associated Press Preseason All-Americans, the AP announced on Monday. Worthy earned AP preseason honors for the second time in his career, while Banks was selected for the first time.
Worthy is a third-year wide receiver who has played in and started 25 games. The Fresno, Calif. native has 122 career receptions for 1,741 yards and 21 touchdowns. His 21 career touchdown receptions rank third all-time in Texas history and his 122 career receptions are the 14th-most ever for a Longhorn. Last season, he was a second-team All-Big 12 selection by the league’s coaches and the Associated Press after leading the conference and ranking 19th in the nation with nine touchdown receptions, while tying for fourth in the Big 12 receptions (60), ranking fifth receiving yards (760), and seventh in receiving yards per game (58.5) and receptions per game (4.6). Worthy also served as the punt returner for Texas in 2022, averaging 9.7 yards per return. His 21 career touchdown receptions lead all returning Power 5 players and rank second among FBS receivers.
In addition to the AP Preseason All-America honor, Worthy has been named to the Maxwell Award, Paul Horning Award, Biletnikoff Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and preseason watch lists and was the lone unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team by the conference’s media representatives. Additionally, he has been recognized as a preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
Banks played in and started all 13 games at left tackle as a true freshman last season, earning Freshman All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). Banks anchored an offensive line that helped Texas average 34.5 points per game, the 17th-highest scoring average among Power 5 programs, and 429.5 yards per game, the 23rd-best mark among Power 5 teams. The Humble, Texas was also named a Freshman All-American by The Athletic and chosen to ESPN’s True Freshman All-America team. A semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award he also earned second-team All-Big 12 honors from both the league’s coaches and the Associated Press.
The sophomore has also been named to the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award preseason watch lists and was selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team by the league’s media representatives and a Preseason All-American by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele.