With the heat index in Austin reaching 105 degrees as the Texas Longhorns went through the second practice of preseason camp on Thursday afternoon, the team moved inside to the Bubble after the media viewing portion.
During that stretch of practice, sophomore cornerback Graceson Littleton made an outstanding leaping interception shared on social media.
Taking a zone coverage drop, Littleton read freshman wide receiver Kohen Brown crossing
the field and put to use the ball skills drills that the Horns worked on earlier in practice, elevating to deflect the pass and secure it on his way down.
It’s an insight into the type of instincts and athleticism that made Littleton an unexpected breakout star for Texas as a true freshman in 2025, when he started in eight of the team’s 13 games, playing a big role at nickel back for the Longhorns, recording 47 tackles, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and six passes broken up.
The primary discussions surrounding Littleton during the offseason have been about whether he will keep playing in the slot or move outside — signs point to him primarily playing nickel — but the Florida product is also not such a proven commodity that he’s clearly reached his ceiling even though he was so good as a true freshman that Pro Football Focus didn’t credit Littleton for allowing a touchdown in coverage all season despite opposing quarterbacks targeting him 63 times.
