OTF Premium What's next for Texas at wide receiver and linebacker?

[Jeff Howe]

The vigor with which Texas addresses the wide receiver position in the transfer portal likely depends on the answer to one question.

How much faith does Steve Sarkisian have in Ryan Wingo emerging as a bona fide No. 1 option for Arch Manning?

Leading the Longhorns in receptions (50), receiving yards (770) and touchdown receptions (seven) en route to second-team All-SEC recognition from the league’s coaches constitutes a successful sophomore campaign through 12 games. Still, finishing the regular season with the second-most dropped passes among SEC wide receivers (Wingo’s seven are currently two behind Alabama’s Ryan Williams for the league high), which contributed to Manning suffering from 21 dropped passes, fourth-most among SEC quarterbacks and tied for 21st in FBS, according to Pro Football Focus.

With his 50 catches coming on 87 targets (a 57.5 percent catch rate, according to PFF), Wingo’s 2025 season mirrors what Xavier Worthy went through in 2022.

Worthy’s sophomore season saw him lead Texas with 59 receptions (on 113 targets for a catch rate of 52.2 percent), yards (757) and touchdowns (eight) and drops (seven). The 2024 first-round pick turned things around with an All-American season in 2023, with his 75 receptions for 1,014 yards and five touchdowns (two fewer dropped passes on six more targets from the previous season) helped the Longhorns win the Big 12 and reach the College Football Playoff.

Will Wingo make the same kind of leap in his first draft-eligible season?

— DeAndre Moore Jr.’s decision to jump to the NFL leaves a void in the slot (a team-high 216 snaps according to PFF) and opens a role as Manning’s go-to target in the intermediate passing game. According to PFF, Moore leads the Texas offense in receptions (14) and yards gained (229) when targeted from 10 to 19 yards down the field, accounting for 36.8 percent of the receptions (38) and 43 percent of the yards (522) he tallied in his final season with the Longhorns.

In the intermediate game, Emmett Mosley V’s PFF season grade of 94.9 is higher than Moore’s (94). Mosley is a safe bet to rack up more than the 11 targets he got on intermediate throws.

As for the workload in the slot, Sarkisian has to decide whether a portal acquisition would be an upgrade over a potential tandem of Daylan McCutcheon and Jermaine Bishop Jr. While Sarkisian can’t leave anything to chance in what’s expected to be Manning’s last season behind center, losing Trevor Goosby, Hero Kanu, Jelani McDonald or Quintrevion Wisner to the NFL could force Texas to use its available resources to shore up position groups with greater, more pressing needs.

— With Liona Lefau leaving the program ahead of entering the transfer portal on Jan. 2, Ty’Anthony Smith is at the top of the list of the Longhorns who stand to gain the most leading up to and coming out of the Citrus Bowl against Michigan on New Year’s Eve.

Smith ended the regular season with 364 snaps logged, according to PFF, recording the fifth-best season-long grade against the run (78.9, with PFF considering a grade of 70 to be above average) of any Longhorn defender.

The Jasper product leads the team in forced fumbles (three) and missed tackles (12), showing how often he finds himself around the football. The latter should get better with experience, but the same must be true of Smith’s coverage ability for him to take the next step as a player.

According to PFF, no Texas linebacker has been targeted this season more than Smith (33). Only Graceson Littleton and Jaylon Guilbeau have allowed more completions among Longhorn defensive players than Smith (26), who has allowed 244 yards (fourth-most on the team behind Guilbeau, Littleton and Lefau) and an NFL passer rating of 107.6 when targeted.

With offensive play-callers looking to exploit the second level of the opposing defense when hunting favorable matchups, all linebackers are a liability in coverage in some way, shape or form. Nevertheless, Smith has the tools to be better in coverage than the numbers have shown this season.

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[Jeff Howe]

I'm a big Ty'Anthony Smith fan. The bowl prep and the bowl game could make this time a turning point in his career.

[Jeff Howe]

Ryan Wingo wouldn't be the first Texas wide receiver to have a sophomore season that left everybody wanting more, only to bounce back with a massive junior season. I mentioned Xavier Worthy, but Mike Davis and Devin Duvernay went through similar career arcs. 

[Texas fan in Georgia]

24 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

Ryan Wingo wouldn't be the first Texas wide receiver to have a sophomore season that left everybody wanting more, only to bounce back with a massive junior season. I mentioned Xavier Worthy, but Mike Davis and Devin Duvernay went through similar career arcs. 

Duvernays 2019 season was special. 

[NothinButDaHorns34]

Like gerry was saying on coffee and football this morning, It feels like this offense is missing an elusive in space/take the top off of a defense type of wide receiver. 

[Jeff Howe]

1 minute ago, NothinButDaHorns34 said:

Like gerry was saying on coffee and football this morning, It feels like this offense is missing an elusive in space/take the top off of a defense type of wide receiver. 

Whether it's a running back or a wide receiver, I'd love to see Texas add one of those types of guys in the portal.

A Jaydon Blue or Keilan Robinson type.

[Here for the Wins]

Let’s not confuse Wingo with a 2nd year broke hand Worthy, particularly after Worthy put up the freshman year he did.

[ThatHornsGuy87]

37 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

Ryan Wingo wouldn't be the first Texas wide receiver to have a sophomore season that left everybody wanting more, only to bounce back with a massive junior season. I mentioned Xavier Worthy, but Mike Davis and Devin Duvernay went through similar career arcs. 

I just want him to catch the dang ball lol

[SB21]

Good stuff Jeff. It’s gonna be an interesting portal season for sure 

[krzy4ut]

Wingo has speed,  not sure how elusive, agile he really is.  

[HudGar1922]

man Arch final year and we are replacing safety, corner, multiple lbs, de’s, kicker,punter center, 2 guards, RB, Te and Wr.   that’s pretty rough 

[Game of the Century]

1 hour ago, ThatHornsGuy87 said:

I just want him to catch the dang ball lol

Agreed. But honestly, he seemed to do that a lot better down the stretch.  He made some really clutch catches.  

[817 Boxing B]

1 hour ago, Here for the Wins said:

Let’s not confuse Wingo with a 2nd year broke hand Worthy, particularly after Worthy put up the freshman year he did.

Wingo may have had a few ailments that we never heard about. Sark doesn't spill it often... but yeah, he was definitely healthier than X.

[tsip92]

I was pretty critical of Wingo through most of the season, but he did improve as the season went along.  Excluding the first play WR screen bonanza, he still needs to improve his skills as a down the field WR.  I’m not sure if he’s going to end up a WR1 or WR2 next season.  
 

If I was Sark I would get a WR1 out of the portal and see if Wingo makes it an elite WR room ala Ohio State.  Texas could barely field a functional 5-wide this past season.  There is PLENTY of room to add more proven talent in that room.  

[Beldar]

1 hour ago, krzy4ut said:

Wingo has speed,  not sure how elusive, agile he really is.  

When you can catch a swing pass behind the LOS and take it to the house like he did . You got something. And I am thinking the D knew It was coming. 

[Alex Butler]

What about Ffrench and Lockett emerging as playmakers too? Those guys were highly rated prospects. Lockett especially is big and looks like he’d be a big asset in the screen game and blocking with Moseley. I’m more interested in focusing on OL,LB , RB, and secondary in the portal rather than trying to find a WR. Honestly, I think with Moseley and Livingstone you have two very dependable big catch radius guys. Wingo’s hands leave much to be desired but if he can find a way to fix that with all that talent I think we’re good at WR. 

[Chop]

We ever figure out what happened with Lefau?

[Brho]

Given Wingos drops and body language on the sideline it’s a stretch to consider him a #1. Hopefully we make a move and get a legit #1. 

[ArizonaLonghorn]

35 minutes ago, Chop said:

We ever figure out what happened with Lefau?

Sounds like BYU made him a higher offer and Texas didn't match it (was the impression I got from this site)

[jdhdavis]

My observation is that its 2 issues and not just drops.  The other is he has a very thin resume at making truly contested catches where there is contact but excluding PI (or even "missed PI).  Once there is legal contact, he seems to be out of the play more often than not. 

[Rucker N]

1 hour ago, Chop said:

We ever figure out what happened with Lefau?

Felt like he should be getting paid more and wasn't happy with the role he was going to play moving forward.

[Bunk Moreland]

2 hours ago, Jeff Howe said:

Whether it's a running back or a wide receiver, I'd love to see Texas add one of those types of guys in the portal.

A Jaydon Blue or Keilan Robinson type.

IMO they need both. Having a Blue AND a Bond on the field at the same time is what could make this offense truly scary.

[Hornmatic]

17 minutes ago, jdhdavis said:

My observation is that its 2 issues and not just drops.  The other is he has a very thin resume at making truly contested catches where there is contact but excluding PI (or even "missed PI).  Once there is legal contact, he seems to be out of the play more often than not. 

This is my critique. He gives up on balls whenever he gets breathed on. Never fights through contact to make the catch or draw the PI call that refs are usually all too willing to call if you make a (strong) effort. 

[A-10HORN]

2 hours ago, krzy4ut said:

Wingo has speed,  not sure how elusive, agile he really is.  

The answer is he’s not very agile. He’s gonna be a fast big body type of guy. If you are that guy you have to be able to catch the ball well and win 50/50 balls 

[MikeH]

Even if they think Wingo can make the leap, they still need to have the mindset of "needing" two WR1s. We've been at our best when we've had Worthy AND Mitchell and then Bond AND Golden. I think you could even make the case that Bond falling off the face of the earth for whatever reason late last season could have been the difference between what we got and a natty. And when Sark had his best offenses of his career at Alabama, we all know the insane amount of WR talent those teams had together.

We need Wingo AND _________, especially if Endries doesn't return. I really like Mosley a lot, but I'm not sure he's got future first round WR type talent and that's ultimately what we need in 2026.

Edited 19 minutes ago by MikeH