A Dream Come True: Jake Majors
Tommy Beebe
12/19/2024
Coming out of high school, Jake Majors, the now four-year starting center for the Longhorns, knew he wanted to attend a university that was respected on the football field and in the classroom. The 4-star offensive lineman out of Prosper, Texas had his pick of the litter when deciding where to commit with headlining offers from Texas, Oklahoma, Stanford, and Missouri, in addition to schools from his neck of the woods in SMU and TCU. While each offer made compelling cases for their institution, Majors eventually landed on Texas due to the academic prestige of the University. “I wanted to be in the best of the best of the schools, and I knew that a degree from The University of Texas holds a lot of weight,” said Majors when reflecting on his commitment. “I chose Texas not just because of the rich history behind the football program, but because my biggest dream was to get a degree from McCombs.”
Once arriving to the Forty Acres and beginning classes in the renowned business school, Majors was able focus his attention on both his schoolwork and Texas Football. As a true freshman, Jake earned starts at center in each of the last two games of the 2020 season which saw the Longhorns collect dominant wins at Kansas State and against Colorado in the Valero Alamo Bowl. From then on, Majors has started every game at center, registering a current total of 54 starts and becoming just the seventh Longhorn football player to start 50 or more games at Texas. With the nod against Clemson in the First Round of the College Football Playoff, Jake will tie the program-record at 55 career starts.
Majors has seen tremendous amounts of success during his time at Texas, including winning a Big 12 Championship; making two College Football Playoff appearances; blocking for Doak Walker Award winner and unanimous All-American running back, Bijan Robinson; and being a part of an offensive line honored as a Joe Moore Award finalist to name a few. Perhaps the fifth-year center’s greatest individual achievement was being named a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, which annually recognizes the best scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary leadership.
Jake completed his bachelor’s in business management from the McCombs School of Business with a 3.65 cumulative GPA in December of 2023, and he attributes the Student-Athlete Academic Center on the fifth-floor of the North End Zone at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for having a role in his academic accomplishments. “The academic center is second-to-none. The study spaces in there allow me to prepare for exams and work on projects, and the tutors have been extremely helpful.”
When Majors has some downtime, he focuses on replenishing his body through nutrition and rehab. “It truly doesn’t get better than Texas,” said the grad student before shedding light on his routines. “I can get some classwork done over in the fifth-floor study hall, then head up to the sixth-floor and grab an amazing lunch or dinner at TANC [the Texas Athletics Nutrition Center].” The Longhorn O-lineman further elaborated on the TANC experience by saying, “Everything is customized to your personal preferences. The main line is something new every day. Of course, they have salad, fruit, and smoothies that are always fresh. I like the sandwiches, burgers, and quesadillas. I actually just put in an order for pasta, so I’ll be enjoying that soon.”
In addition to the fueling stations at the TANC, Majors credits the sports medicine staff for their help in sustaining the longevity of his on-field performance. “Our athletic trainers our amazing,” said Majors. “Donald Nguyen [the Director of Football Sports Medicine] does a great job over there. Our training room is fantastic, and the fact that it’s right here on campus provides a huge advantage. There’s all the hydroworks you could need in hot tubs, cold tubs, and saunas, and once again being able to get all of our work done without having to go somewhere else is a huge blessing.”
When thinking about all of the amenities provided to him as a student-athlete at UT, Jake explained, “Our mindset is to give 110% in everything we do, and I’ve seen firsthand our donors doing the same.” The Prosper native knows that his experience would not be possible without the generosity of Longhorn Foundation donors, and Majors expressed his thanks on behalf of the Texas Football team to anyone who has ever contributed by saying, “We’re so very appreciative of y’all. Your donations do not go in vain, and it means the world that you believe in us. We’re going to keep pursuing greatness to the best of our ability because that’s what Longhorn Excellence is—being the best of the best.”
Our mindset is to give 110% in everything we do, and I've seen firsthand our donors doing the same.Jake Majors
Now, with Horns embarking on yet another College Football Playoff in the center’s final year of eligibility, Majors reflected on his experience suiting up for the burnt orange and white with his final game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium approaching. “Running out of that tunnel and playing at DKR is a dream come true. Texas is such a special place, and it’s the pinnacle of college football—it’s college football heaven.”
