The Texas Longhorns may be dealing with one exhausting recruiting storyline in Easton Royal, but that situation could end up opening another door.
Royal, a five-star wide receiver and the highest-rated player in Texas’s 2027 class, has been committed to the Longhorns for eight months. Still, the chatter around his pledge has not gone away, with rumor-mill noise suggesting LSU could be a real threat. Royal has tried to calm that speculation, but the back-and-forth has worn on fans, many of whom seem ready to move on from the uncertainty.
That matters because Texas still has its eyes on another elite receiver: Monshun Sales.
Sales committed to Indiana just a few weeks ago, choosing the Hoosiers over Texas, but Steve Sarkisian and his staff have not backed off. The Longhorns are pushing hard to get him to Austin for their Week 2 showdown with Ohio State, and that visit could become a major part of the pitch.
The matchup itself already carries plenty of weight for Texas in the 2026 season, but it also gives the Longhorns a chance to sell Sales on the full experience. Austin, Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, and a marquee blue-blood game against the Buckeyes would all be part of the presentation. If Texas also gets the kind of revenge win the source describes, that only strengthens the message.
There’s another layer here, too. If Royal’s situation eventually clears up in a way that opens up the WR1 spot on the depth chart, Texas could look even more appealing to Sales. Add in time around the current roster and the coaching staff, and the Longhorns would have a strong case to make.
Indiana may have won the National Championship last season, but Texas is still Texas. And if the Longhorns beat Ohio State with Sales in the building, the pressure on that Indiana commitment would only grow.
Sales has not confirmed whether he’ll be in town for the game. If he is, the flip talk could pick up fast.
Texas and Ohio State are set to play Saturday, Sept. 12, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The winner could be sitting atop the AP Top 25 Poll heading into Week 3.
In Other News...
Texas Awaits Massive Decision From Elite In-State Sarkisian Target
Landen Williams-Callis is set to make one of the biggest recruiting calls in the state on Saturday, with the Richmond Randle High School star choosing between Texas, SMU, Texas A&M, Houston and Missouri. The five-star running back has spent his prep career piling up records and accolades, and his rise has made him one of the most closely followed prospects in Texas high school football history.
For Texas, the interest is obvious. Sarkisian and his staff have chased elite in-state talent aggressively, and Williams-Callis sits near the top of that board as the No. 3 running back in the country. His announcement will be carried live by Dave Campbell's Texas Football, adding another layer to a decision that already feels like a major swing moment for the Longhorns' 2026 recruiting picture. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Just Got An Unexpected Late Offseason Roster Opportunity
A late offseason roster wrinkle has opened up for Texas, and it could give the Longhorns another look at a group of familiar names from the 2022 recruiting class. A federal ruling in Colorado created the possibility that players who used their final year of eligibility last season can be eligible again, which immediately put a few Texas veterans back into the conversation as the program continues sorting out its 2026 depth picture.
For Texas, the practical impact is simple: there are several players who could wind up back in Austin if their pro paths do not stick. Burke, Hutson, Guilbeau and Finkley are among the Longhorns whose situations are worth tracking, especially since some have already signed undrafted free agent deals and may still choose the NFL route if they make final rosters. It is not a certainty, but it is the kind of late-summer development that can quietly change a teams roster math in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Roster Crunch Leaves Former Contributor In A Brutal Spot
Chendall Weavers path back to Texas has hit a hard roster wall. The former Longhorns guard was granted an extra year of eligibility, a development that would normally create a chance to continue where he left off, but the numbers on the roster have already closed that door. Texas has moved on from that possibility as Sean Millers team fills out its scholarship chart for the upcoming season.
The final spot went to Marcus Spears Jr., whose accelerated arrival gave Texas the last available opening on a 15-scholarship roster. With that in place, Weaver has to look elsewhere even after his previous contributions to the program, a reminder of how quickly roster management can change in the modern game and how little margin there is once a team is full. [Read more 🡒]