Search the Community

Heat Map of 2026 Official Visitors for Texas The Texas official visit list remains a work in progress, however we have a really solid understanding of where the Longhorn staff is viewing their top targets from a geographical standpoint. Of course, the state of Texas will remain the highest priority as Texas looks to take care of its backyard and provide some security of its home borders from SEC poachers and national powers. However, there has been a concerted effort to recruit the deep south – Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. Texas has 43 official visits lined up to our knowledge. Of those 43 official visits, 18 come from the states mentioned above. Moving forward, what is going to be interesting is where other states get added. Texas is pushing heavily in North Carolina and there has been previous success in the state of Arizona. But this is the best look at where Texas is prioritizing top recruits as of March 18th. Perhaps the lone outlier here is OLB Luke Wafle out of the Hun School in New Jersey. Wafle told OTF in July of 2024 that he had grown up a Texas fan and that Kyle Flood was the first Longhorn coach to get in contact with him. Flood is the regional recruiter for the New Jersey area. The breakdown from a numbers perspective: 16 – Texas 7 – California 6 – Florida 6 – Georgia 3 – Louisiana 2 – Alabama 1 – Hawaii 1 – Mississippi 1 – New Jersey Again, look for North Carolina and potentially an Arizona official visit to light up their state on the map when it is all said and done. I would also look for Florida to add a couple more official visitors by the end of the summer months as well.

Elijah Barnes notes ... The freshman linebacker from Dallas (Texas) Skyline reported to Texas at 243 pounds. He is now weighing 235-236 pounds. That is an ideal weight for Barnes with his frame. He's clocking right under 21 MPH on the GPS in Torre Becton workouts. Barnes is working at multiple linebacker spots, and is expected to be part of the Texas special teams coverage units in 2025.

What has this week done for Rodney Terry? Entering the SEC Tournament the future of Rodney Terry at Texas was when, not if. Now after wins over Vanderbilt and Texas A&M very likely resulting in Texas getting a bid in the field of 68, Terry's tenure has life in Austin. OnTexasFootball does not believe Terry is assured of being retained just by getting in the Field of 68. So the next question is what does Terry need to accomplish in the NCAA Tournament to get another year in Austin. The first scenario is very simple, can't drop the play-in game and be secure. The problem with losing in the Round of 68 would be trajectory of the program. From Elite 8 to Round of 32 to Round of 68. But what happens if Texas wins the play-in game, and advances? That provides Terry with the opportunity to earn another year. That would be winning a game in the tournament three straight seasons. If Texas wins two games in the NCAA Tournament, another season odds go way up. Winning six games in three seasons in the NCAA Tournament is not normally the formula to get one fired - save a few blue bloods. But Texas is not a blue blood in hoops. Firing a coach and paying him 4.5-5 million to leave after winning six NCAA Tournament games in three seasons is a lower percentage probability. Also for Terry's future ... Rodney Terry's two wins in the SEC Tournament will prove very beneficial in getting another job (USF has shown real interest) if Terry and Texas part ways.

OnTexasFootball is expecting a top target of the Longhorns to likely commit to USC soon. With that said, Texas will not back off and just keep hanging around the rim. USC is making a huge NIL push to get some top 2026's in the boat early and try to hang on long term. Just like they did in the 2025 class ... which was a struggle with EDGE Isaiah Gibson ending up at Georgia, and DL Justus Terry ending up at Texas.

Note on freshman Michael Terry III OnTexasFootball was told today that freshman versatile offensive athlete Michael Terry III has registered 22 mph during recent workouts at 214 pounds. Terry III continues to workout at wide receiver, and will begin spring practice there. Long term, we shall see where Terry settles in at. Could be WR, RB and H-back ... to be determined

Just reiterating and adding to what we have discussed over the last week or two about Christian Clark and his recovery from his Achilles injury. I was told that the redshirt freshman running back is out of support braces and splints when working out. Clark is not quite at 100% in the weight room, but is very close. Of course, last week we discussed Clark's recovery timeline following the photo released of him front squatting 275 pounds. Steve Sarkisian in his Monday press conference singled out Clark's recovery, adding that he was "pleasantly surprised" with the progress made so far. The typical Achilles injury recovery timeline is set for 6–9 months. Given that the injury occurred in the early part of August, it is worth mentioning that this would but Clark at six months and a week essentially since the injury occurred originally. Again, Clark will be limited this spring. However, it remains a great sign that additional support for his achilles is not necessary in weight room training sessions. Positive news.

AUSTIN, Texas — If Saturday’s 76-72 loss to Oklahoma was Tre Johnson’s last game at Moody Center, it unfortunately mirrored what’s expected to be the freshman phenom’s lone season on the Forty Acres. Johnson did his best to help Texas get a win with the fate of the 2024-25 season hanging in the balance, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing out a season-high six assists and recording two steals in a de facto NCAA Tournament elimination game. Nevertheless, the 6-foot-6-inch projected lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft’s probable home finale saw him endure an 0-for-14 night from the field, including an 0-for-4 effort beyond the arc. The loss dealt a likely fatal blow to the Longhorns’ hopes of being a part of March Madness. While Johnson did a lot to put Texas (17-14, 6-12 SEC) in a position to end the regular season with what would’ve been a significant victory as far as the postseason outlook is concerned, the Longhorns needed more than seven points (7-for-7 from the free-throw line) from their standout rookie to get over the hump. “He's not going to shoot it well every night. We like to think he's going to have a cape on every night and do it every night. He's done it in this league every night against older players consistently,” coach Rodney Terry said. “This is the first game where he hasn't put the ball in the basket, but give him credit. He had six assists, he made great reads and some of the offense went through him to get offense for other guys.” Johnson showed up for the postgame press conference alongside Terry and guard Jordan Pope, who scored a game-high 21 points on 7-for-10 shooting with a 4-for-6 showing from beyond the arc and a 3-for-3 night from the foul line. Johnson said he went to the Moody Center media room “because I was told to,” a laugh-inducing one-liner that eased the tension in the room. Regardless, the Link (Mo.) Academy product by way of Lake Highlands owned his largely forgettable night. “Everybody knows I didn’t make a shot,” Johnson said. “Owning up to it and being able to talk about it prepares me for the next level." Johnson’s ability on the offensive end of the floor is why he's expected to contribute early in his NBA career. While he credited the Sooners with trapping and doubling him throughout the night, Johnson’s missed layup on a relatively clean path to the basket with 30 seconds to play summed up a frustrating end to the home schedule. “I missed a lot of open shots,” Johnson said. “I missed a layup at the end and I was at the rim by myself. That's mostly on me.” His most recent performance notwithstanding, Johnson heads into the postseason with one of the program's best freshman regular seasons under his belt. A five-time SEC Freshman of the Week, Johnson ended the regular season as the leading scorer in the conference. His average of 20.2 points per game is the best output by a Longhorn freshman since Kevin Durant’s 2006-07 season (25.8 points per game); it has him on pace to be the first Texas player to average at least 20 points per game since J’Covan Brown during the 2011-12 season (20.1 points per game). The 2024 McDonald’s All-American delivered a tremendous effort in Tuesday’s 87-82 overtime win over No. 25 Mississippi State in Starkville. Johnson finished the game with 23 points (8-for-16 from the field and 6-for-9 from beyond the arc), four assists, three rebounds and one steal in a career-high 43 minutes, setting the table for Saturday's showdown. Oklahoma coach Porter Moser encouraged his club to take a one-possession-at-a-time approach to defending Johnson, who scored 16 points in a 77-73 win over the Sooners at the Lloyd Noble Center on Jan. 15. “You can't take plays off with him because he can get you in transition, so it was a possession-by-possession thing,” Moser said. “We tried to run multiple guys at him. “It was a group effort.” The shooting struggles weren’t limited to Johnson. Texas shot 39 percent (23-for-59), failing to reach 40 percent from the field for the fifth time in 31 games (1-4 record). What Johnson is taking away from the second game of his brief career in which he failed to score in double figures should make him more of an offensive threat when he scores to his capability. “When I am scoring, some of those same reads are still there, so keeping my head up when I am having one of my better nights,” Johnson said. “Still finding my teammates, getting everybody going. “Everybody else played up to their role and did what they were supposed to do,” he added. “I was the only missing factor there, so if I'm playing good and I'm able to get them going, we're going to be a hard team to stop.” Making a lengthy run in the SEC Tournament, a journey beginning at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena against Vanderbilt (20-11, 8-10) on Wednesday (2:30 p.m., SEC Network), is the only path Texas has to making the field of 68. To avoid snapping the program's streak of four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, Johnson knows the Longhorns need him to put Saturday's outing behind him. The proof will be in the pudding, but Johnson sounded ready to take the court with a vengeance against the Commodores. “I've got to look at myself in the mirror, take it on the chin and just get ready for Wednesday,” Johnson said. View full news story

Add another linebacker to the official visit list for this summer. Georgetown Eastview LB Tieson Ejiawoko has set his official visit to Texas for the weekend of June 13-15. Currently committed to Texas Tech, Ejiawoko spent the Junior Day in Austin where he received his Texas offer. 6’3” and 230 at the moment.

Kenny Baker and his DL room took out the new faces and early enrollees to a dinner Wednesday evening. Of course, this is the first real look at the bodies in the room given the turnover from 2024 to 2025 where three transfers and three early enrollees join a room that consists of just Alex January and Melvin Hills as returning Longhorns. Texas likely isn’t done with additions to the room, but this is a good look at what it looks like currently.

Another 4-star+ out of state visit locked in Texas EDGE coach LaAllen Clark offered Rolesville (N.C.) High 4-star+ Zavion Griffin-Haynes earlier today, and the Tar Heel State prospect wasted zero time locking in a visit. The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder is scheduled to make an unofficial visit March 22. It will be a first visit to Texas for the latest offer out of the state of North Carolina. Griffin-Haynes is up to 43 offers with Texas throwing a hat in the ring. There are currently two June official visits locked in - Georgia June 6-8 and Florida June 13-15. The Longhorns are considered a 50-50 chance to receive a June OV prior to the unofficial later this month.

This week, I’m Scattershooting while wondering how much better Longhorn legend Eric Metcalf’s chances of making the Pro Football Hall of Fame would be if he hadn’t played in the NFL three decades before his time. Texas hasn’t produced three first-round picks in a single NFL Draft since 1980, when Johnny “Lam” Jones (No. 2 overall to the New York Jets), Johnnie Johnson (No. 17 overall to the Los Angeles Rams) and Derrick Hatchett (No. 24 overall to the Baltimore Colts) had their names called. With the NFL Scouting Combine in the books, the conditions are ripe for the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to feature three Longhorns after what Jahdae Barron and Matthew Golden ran in Indianapolis (4.39 and 4.29 in the 40-yard dash, respectively). If I’m putting money down on the first Texas player picked in another noteworthy draft for coach Steve Sarkisian’s program, I’m more convinced to bet on Kelvin Banks Jr. Banks measured over 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 315 pounds with verified 33.5-inch arms, a wingspan of over 84 inches and 10-plus-inch hands. Those vitals should silence the crowd eager to kick him inside to guard at the next level. The Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award winner has a tailor-made skillset for playing tackle in the NFL in 2025, namely his elite track record in pass protection. Few lingering concerns should exist regarding Banks’ body, which lends itself to playing a premium position, either on the right or left side, where he started 42 games in a decorated career on the Forty Acres. — LSU’s Will Campbell topped Banks’ height (just shy of 6 feet 7 inches) and weight (319 pounds). Still, the top contender vying with Banks to be the first tackle selected in the draft, it’s verified that Campbell has shorter arms, a shorter wingspan and smaller hands than the Longhorns’ 2024 unanimous All-American. Banks is positioned to be the first Texas offensive lineman to go in the first round since Mike Williams in 2002 (No. 4 overall to the Buffalo Bills). That’s also the last time the Longhorns produced the first offensive lineman selected in the draft (it happened in consecutive drafts; the Arizona Cardinals used the No. 2 overall pick on Leonard Davis in 2001). Banks, Campbell, Missouri tackle Armand Membou and Alabama guard Tyler Booker are among the notable candidates to be the first lineman picked. I can’t see Banks being available after the San Francisco 49ers go on the clock for the No. 11 pick; lifetime Longhorn Kyle Shanahan could draft an immediate starter at right tackle who can move to the left side whenever Trent Williams decides to wrap up his Hall of Fame career. — I don’t want Andrew Mukuba’s 4.45 40-yard dash, which tied for the fifth-fastest time among safeties at the combine, to get lost in the shuffle of a newsworthy weekend for the Longhorns who were in Indianapolis. Mukuba only ran the 40 at the combine, opting to perform his other tests during his pro day on March 26. The 5-foot-11-inch, 186-pound Austin LBJ product showed he’s an impact player when healthy; recording better-than-expected verified speed should boost his stock. I’ll be surprised if Mukuba is on the board beyond the fourth round. His one season in a Texas uniform proved that safety is his best position, but he also played cornerback and in the slot at Clemson. His striking ability, nose for the football, and speed make him a candidate to be a core special teamer. — Mukuba, Golden and Isaiah Bond (his 4.39 clocking in the 40 would be getting more buzz if he hadn’t called his shot while making a run at Xavier Worthy’s record; he did, however, record the highest mph among the wideouts at the combine) headlined the program’s transfer portal haul for 2024. Those three — along with defensive linemen Jermayne Lole, Bill Norton and Tia Savea, running back Velton Gardner, tight end Amari Niblack, cornerback Jay’Vion Cole, linebacker Kendrick Blackshire (transferred to UTSA after spring practice), wide receiver/return specialist Silas Bolden and EDGE Trey Moore — helped Texas tie the school record for single-season wins (13) and reach the College Football Playoff semifinals for the second consecutive season. Is it the best portal class of the Sarkisian era? It’s the clubhouse leader among the four due to the group’s unmatched combination of quality and quantity compared to Sarkisian's other portal classes. — With that said, everybody in the 2023 group (wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, defensive lineman Trill Carter, cornerback Gavin Holmes, safety Jalen Catalon and punter Ryan Sanborn) contributed to the Longhorns winning the Big 12 and advancing to the CFP for the first time. The haul was light on numbers, but it was chock-full of productive players and void of notable blemishes (other than Catalon’s play and playing time declining severely after a leg injury in a loss to Oklahoma). It was feast (quarterback Quinn Ewers, linebacker Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey and cornerback Ryan Watts) or famine (wide receivers Agiye Hall and Isaiah Neyor and tight end Jahleel Billingsley) for the 2022 crop Texas recruited out of the portal. Keilan Robinson emerged as the crown jewel of the 2021 portal class. It was one in which the Longhorns took fliers on largely unproven commodities from then-Power Five programs (Robinson at running back and outside linebackers Ovie Oghoufo and Ray Thornton), players with known injury issues (linebacker Ben Davis) and small-school products (cornerback Darrion Dunn and linebacker Devin Richardson) to fill out the roster ahead of Sarkisian’s first season (Dunn signed under the previous regime, making his way to Texas from FCS McNeese State). — I don’t know exactly what Neal Brown’s role will be on Sarkisian’s staff. What I hope the former West Virginia head coach brings to the Longhorns are fresh ideas to help a running game that needs to be more diverse and dynamic in 2025 than it was in 2024. Raw numbers can get skewed when the sample size is 16 games. Still, Texas averaged 4.3 yards per rushing attempt last season, which isn't good, no matter what lens it's viewed through. It's the first time the Longhorns failed to average at least five yards per carry under Sarkisian. It also marked he program’s lowest output since 2018 (3.8 yards per attempt). Brown was a wide receiver for Hal Mumme at Kentucky, making his offense a direct descendent of the Air Raid. What separates Brown’s version of the Air Raid from others is his desire to run the football utilizing heavier personnel, whether it’s using a fullback, an extra running back, a sniffer or an extra tight end. The Longhorns will start replacing four departed starters along the offensive line in earnest when spring practice gets underway. Not to mention Texas needing to account for the losses of Jaydon Blue, Juan Davis and Gunnar Helm. Quintrevion Wisner and D.J. Campbell are the only key members of last season’s rushing attack returning in their same roles. Brown’s addition to the staff is coming at the perfect time if Sarkisian wants to revamp the ground game. View full news story

Two more expected 4-star++ spring visitors The March and April visitor list is beginning to take shape around March 27-29 and April 12. Texas swinging big in Mississippi ... Four-star++ EDGE and one-time LSU pledge JaReylan McCoy (Tupelo, Miss./High) is scheduled to make an unofficial visit to Texas March 29. McCoy, 6-foot-6 and 250-pounds, is also scheduled to make UOV's this spring to Ole Miss, Texas A&M, LSU, Florida, Miami and possible Georgia. McCoy's camp had been hoping the Longhorns would begin making a push for a while, and tha is now happening. The hurdle for Texas will be there isn't currently a June OV weekend available for Texas. McCoy has Florida May 30-June 2, Ole Miss June 6-8 (the likely favorite now), Texas A&M and LSU. Auburn takes their OV swing in May. Reclass 4-star++ corner to visit ... Add another high-end prospect out of California that plans to visit in March or April. Recent reclass corner Havon Finney Jr. (Chatsworth, Calif./Sierra Canyon) tells OnTexasFootball that he will be on campus this spring. And that there is a also a June OV possibility for the Horns. Finney, 6-foot and 170 with long arms, has Texas in a lead group that includes Oregon, UCLA and Ohio State. Michigan and LSU are also in the mix.

2025 NFL Combine Thread Live on the scene in Indianapolis, Wednesday marks the beginning of the 2025 NFL Combine week of festivities. On field workouts start Thursday, but player availabilities kickoff this morning. With a program record 14 Longhorns in attendance, you will find coverage here for the week! *** Combine Meeting Tracker: A quick tracker for which teams prospective Longhorns have met with while in Indianapolis. DL Vernon Broughton – Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers DL Alfred Collins – Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE Barryn Sorrell – Houston Texans DB Andrew Mukuba – Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers TE Gunnar Helm – Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, LA Rams, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB Jahdae Barron – Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers Pittsburgh Steelers, Wednesday 10:15 a.m. A couple of participation updates: DL Vernon Broughton will NOT participate on the on-field drills this week in Indianapolis. Broughton said he suffered a strain to his hip flexor about to weeks prior to the Senior Bowl. DL Alfred Collins will perform the on-field skills drills this weekend, but no bench press, 40-yard dash or other testing skills. He will however, perform those drills at the Texas Pro Day on March 26. *** UPDATE: Thursday 10:00 a.m. DB Andrew Mukuba, CB Jahdae Barron and TE Gunnar Helm are set to speak with Media today at the Combine. DB Andrew Mukuba says he will do most of his on-field work at the Texas Pro Day March 26. TE Gunnar Helm says he will participate in "mostly everything" Friday afternoon when the tight ends take the field. CB Jahdae Barron says he will participate in his Combine Drills Friday. "Most definitely, I'm getting after it." On field work for Broughton, Collins and Sorrell to begin at 3:00 p.m. ***

Hours after the news of Terry Joseph’s move to the New Orleans Saints went public, Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian has filled the vacant defensive coaching staff position with the architect of some of the top secondaries in school history. Sources told On Texas Football on Monday that the Longhorns have hired Duane Akina as their safeties coach, a move first reported by Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods. Most recently, the defensive coordinator at Arizona, the 68-year-old Akina was the Texas defensive backs coach under Mack Brown for 13 seasons (2001-13). Texas won the 2005 national championship, two Big 12 titles (2005 and 2009), a Rose Bowl (2004) and a Fiesta Bowl (2008) during Akina's first stint in Austin. The Longhorns also produced two Jim Thorpe Award winners under Akina: Michael Huff (2005) and Aaron Ross (2006). Akina coached some of the top defenses in school history, including the 2001 group, which led the nation in total defense (236.2 yards per game and 3.8 yards per play allowed). The four starters in Akina's first Texas secondary (Rod Babers, Ahmad Brooks, Quentin Jammer and Nathan Vasher) played in the NFL; Jammer was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2002 draft, while Vasher was a Pro Bowl selection and an All-Pro for the Chicago Bears. Jammer was one of six first-round picks Akina coached during his time with the Longhorns. Along with Jammer, Huff (2006) and Ross (2007), Michael Griffin (2007), Earl Thomas (2010) and Kenny Vaccaro (2013) were first-round picks; like Jammer, Thomas was a finalist for the Thorpe Award, headlining a 2009 Texas defense that led the nation with 25 interceptions. Huff, Ross and Griffin joined 2006 second-round pick Cedric Griffin and 2007 fifth-round selection Tarell Brown to form arguably the best defensive backfield in school history in 2005. Those five helped lead the charge on defense en route to the Longhorns winning their most recent national championship. Akina coached or recruited 15 NFL draft picks and eight All-Americans in his first stint on the Texas staff. View full news story

New Texas RB coach Chad Scott has been in contact with the No. 1 RB in the class of 2026, Derrek Cooper. Cooper tells OTF Scott reached out to him over the weekend, shortly after taking the Texas job. Worth monitoring as Cooper begins to lock in his official visits.

OnTexasFootball can report that members of the Texas staff (Chad Scott) have made contact with Forney (Texas) High 4-star++ RB Javian Osborne. OTF can also report that Texas remains in the mix for the ultra talented in-state running back. And an OV is in play.

The Texas football program made several coaching hires and changes to the on-field and support staff official Thursday. The Longhorns publicly announced the additions of running backs coach Chad Scott, EDGE coach LaAllen Clark and cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey. Since Orphey was hired, OTF has reported that he was expected to coach the Texas cornerbacks. A Galena Park North Shore alum and most recently the cornerbacks coach at Rutgers for three seasons (2022-24), Orphey takes over the role previously held by defensive passing game coordinator Terry Joseph. A member of Steve Sarkisian's initial staff on the Forty Acres, Joseph is moving into the role previously held by Blake Gideon as the team’s safeties coach. Sarkisian also elevated Keynodo Hudson from a defensive analyst position to coaching the STAR (nickel) position under Pete Kwiatkowski. Hudson, whose time as a defensive administrative assistant at USC (2012-16) overlapped Sarkisian’s tenure as the Trojans’ coach (2014-15), joined the Longhorns in 2024 after one season as the cornerbacks coach at Ole Miss. Hudson was the Florida Atlantic cornerbacks coach for two seasons (2017-18) under Lane Kiffin before making coaching stops at Illinois (2019-20) and Western Kentucky (2021-22). Hudson was on the same defensive staff for the Hilltoppers as Texas defensive line coach Kenny Baker. Analyst Mike Bimonte is now the co-passing game coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach. A former Rutgers quarterback and Delaware assistant coach, Bimonte has been on Sarkisian’s staff since February 2021. Jahmal Fenner added the director of player development title to his role as the program’s director of high school relations. Fenner’s new role came open after the recent departure of former director of player development Kevin Washington, who accepted an administrative position at Baylor. Errin Joe (director of scouting) and Josh Dunson (senior player personnel coordinator) are recent hires who were formally introduced on Thursday. The same goes for scouting coordinator Tanner Martin. A Georgia Tech alum, Joe was with the Yellow Jackets for the last six seasons. He was most recently the director of player personnel. Dunson worked in the Georgia Tech recruiting department in 2023 before joining the Memphis staff as director of recruiting. View full news story

Steve Sarkisian has announced Texas will not have a 2025 spring football game. During his conversation with Kay Adams Thursday morning, Sarkisian made it official that the Longhorns will forego their annual spring football game. OTF had reported this was a possibility for about a few weeks now. On top of this news, I can add I have heard it is unlikely that Texas suits up completely for their spring football practices. Full schedule and itinerary set to come out in the coming weeks.

Texas saw 11 members of the 2024 signing class play in four or fewer regular-season games last season (conference championship games, bowl games and College Football Playoff games no longer count against a player’s eligibility). That’s 11 redshirt freshmen on the roster for the coming season, a group that doesn’t include the likes of Xavier Filsaime or Jordan Washington (both are rising sophomores after playing in five games during the regular season). Which of the 11 could have the biggest impact on the field for the Longhorns in 2025? I ranked them in order from the player I expect the least from to the redshirt freshman with the best chance to make a splash in the program’s second SEC campaign. 11. Freddie Dubose, WR: I can’t remember a practice I attended at various points throughout the season when Dubose was an active participant. The Smithson Valley product is at risk of getting lost in the shuffle with Jaime Ffrench, Kaliq Lockett and Daylan McCutcheon on campus. 10. Aaron Butler, WR: After signing with the Longhorns before making a campus visit, Butler’s best chance to carve out a role might be in the return game. 9. Melvin Hills III, DL: The Lafayette, La. native will compete with Myron Charles and Josiah Sharma for snaps. He was a Bo Davis take and doesn’t look like the guys Kenny Baker has targeted since joining the coaching staff. 8. Wardell Mack, CB: Mack showed with his toe-tap interception in the back of the end zone against Colorado State that he has the tools to play in the secondary. The John Ehret (La.) product needs the staff to help him put it together. 7. Santana Wilson, CB: With Texas playing more coverage after Johnny Nansen helped introduce it last season, I like Wilson’s chances to compete for playing time either with Kobe Black or behind Malik Muhammad. 6. Zina Umeozulu, EDGE: There are a lot of bodies in front of the Allen product. Nevertheless, he might have the highest ceiling of any Longhorn EDGE (other than Colin Simmons). 5. Daniel Cruz, OC: The ranking has nothing to do with Cruz’s talent. The North Richland Hills native might be best served by sitting behind Cole Hutson for one more season while competing with Connor Robertson for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. 4. Nate Kibble, OG: The 6-foot-3-inch, 320-pound Humble Atascocita product has generated a lot of buzz behind the scenes. Don’t be surprised if he’s the No. 3 guard who pushes DJ Campbell and Neto Umeozulu to get on the field. 3. Trey Owens, QB: The backup quarterback has started at least one game every season of Steve Sarkisian’s tenure. Unlike last season, when he was the No. 3 guy behind Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, Owens is one snap away from being placed at the controls of Sarkisian’s offense. 2. Parker Livingstone, WR: Every time the subject of someone stepping up to the level where DeAndre Moore Jr. and Ryan Wingo will be at the start of spring practice is broached, Livingstone’s name comes up. I’m ready for the substance to back up the hype. 1. Brandon Baker, OT: I’m in the group of people who assume Baker will slide into the right tackle job previously occupied by Cam Williams. With that said, Baker has to fend off Andre Cojoe and play up to his billing for Texas to adequately replace one of the top offensive tackle tandems in the country in 2024.

Louisiana DB schedules Texas visit Hayward Howard Jr. (New Orleans, La./Edna Karr) has quickly become one of the most coveted cornerbacks in the Southeast Region in the 2026 cycle. The son of former Ole Miss defensive lineman Hayward Howard was offered by Texas January 31, and tells OnTexasFootball today that he has an unofficial visit scheduled for March 29. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound rangy corner picked up offers from Texas, Texas A&M and Auburn January 31. Prior to that, Florida, Miami, Florida State, SMU, Texas Tech, Louisville and Houston offered in January.

By now I am sure most of yall have seen Bill Norton’s post on Twitter: Well, unfortunately, it is not a return to Austin for a second season with the Longhorns. I have confirmed that Norton is out of eligibility and is off to the pros. Right now, Norton’s focus is on the Texas Pro Day, not a return to Texas for 2025. View full news story