Texas spent the offseason reshaping its offensive line, and the clearest upgrade may be sitting at the two edges. The Longhorns added five new linemen through the transfer portal - Laurence Seymore (Western Kentucky), Melvin Siani (Wake Forest), Jonte Newman (Texas A&M), Dylan Sikorski (Oregon State) and Paris Patterson Jr. (SMU) - but the most important move could be the one that gives them a serious answer at right tackle.
That’s where Siani enters the picture. He arrived from Wake Forest after starting all 13 games last season and establishing himself as one of the ACC’s better offensive linemen.
Before that, he spent two years at Temple. His 2024 work with the Demon Deacons made him one of the more sought-after tackles in the portal, and Texas originally had its eye on Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton before turning to Siani and landing him.
Paired with starting left tackle Trevor Goosby, Siani gives Texas what could be the best tackle duo in college football. The numbers make the case loud and clear.
According to PFF, Siani and Goosby combined to allow just six quarterback hits and three sacks on 1,706 snaps last season. If they bring anything close to that level to Austin, Texas will be in a strong spot up front.
The twist, of course, is that both players might already be NFL-ready. Instead, they’re in fall camp together in Austin, giving Steve Sarkisian and offensive line coach Kyle Flood something rare: no real mystery at the tackle spots. There are still questions elsewhere on the line, but not here.
That matters for an offense trying to move past last season’s inconsistencies. The tackle spots should be a strength, and in a pressure-packed season for Texas’ front, Siani and Goosby will be central to whatever the Longhorns build offensively this fall.
In Other News...
Sarkisian May Have 2 Freshmen He Can't Keep Off Texas' Offense
Steve Sarkisian spent the offseason making sure Texas had more veteran help where it needed it, bringing in running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown along with offensive linemen Melvin Siani and Laurence Seymore. The idea was straightforward enough: add proven depth, give the Longhorns more immediate options, and make sure the roster had players who could help right away once the season got rolling.
Even with those additions, a couple of freshmen have kept themselves in the conversation during fall camp. Derrek Cooper has caught the staff's attention and could be in line for early work in the backfield, while Jermaine Bishop Jr. looks like the rookie most likely to find a path onto the field through offense or special teams. Sarkisian has said the transfers were brought in to contribute immediately, but Texas may still have young players forcing their way into the mix before long. [Read more 🡒]
Colin Simmons Is Becoming The Face Of Texas Defensive Hopes
Colin Simmons has spent just two seasons turning hype into something sturdier for Texas, piling up production that matches the elite expectations that followed him to Austin. The edge rusher has already posted 21 sacks, 29.5 tackles for loss and seven takeaways, numbers that help explain why he enters the season as a pre-season first-team All-American and a Bronko Nagurski Award watchlist name.
The broader national attention has caught up to him too, with The Athletic placing him No. 10 on its College football Freaks List because of his explosiveness and athleticism. For Texas, the appeal is obvious: Simmons is no longer just a high-end recruit with a lot of upside, but one of the players around whom real defensive hopes can be built. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Just Got Extra Fuel For Its Ohio State Showdown
Rasheem Biles has already found a place in Texas defense, and now the linebacker is headed toward a second-week matchup with a bit more personal edge than most. The Ohio State native came to Austin after three productive seasons at Pitt, where he developed into a steady, versatile defender before transferring to the Longhorns. Steve Sarkisian has praised Biles for the way he can move around the defense and make an impact in different roles, which is exactly why Texas expects him to be part of the plan when the Longhorns line up against the Buckeyes.
The backdrop makes the showdown a little more interesting, because Biles has never hidden how he feels about the school just up the road. He grew up near Ohio State, but the Buckeyes passed on recruiting him out of high school, and that slight still lingers as Texas prepares for one of its biggest early-season tests. For a Longhorns defense looking for any extra edge, Biles brings both experience and a little added motivation into a game that already had plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]