Texas is making a real run at USC linebacker commit Josiah Poyer, and the push appears to be intensifying by the day.
Rivals.com recruiting expert Adam Gorney reported that the Longhorns are working hard to pull the St. John Bosco standout away from USC, with inside linebackers coach Johnny Nansen at the center of the effort.
“According to a source, inside linebackers coach Johnny Nansen - who has considerable West ties - is making a serious run at Poyer with his NIL checkbook coming in hot."
Gorney added that "Texas is not going down without a huge fight" for the linebacker.
Texas Linebacker Coach Johnny Nansen is pushing hard for a FLIP from one of the Top Programs in HS Football 👀 @orangebloods_ https://t.co/FocNaSU1EY
- ᴄᴏᴅʏ ᴄᴀʀᴘᴇɴᴛɪᴇʀ (@CodyCarpentier) July 15, 2026
The interest makes sense from Texas’ side. The Longhorns need more long-term help in the linebacker room, and beyond players like Tyler Atkinson, Markus Boswell, and Rocky Cummings, the future at off-ball linebacker is pretty thin. True freshman Kosi Okpala is also in the mix, but he fits more as a SAM and works closer to the line for Will Muschamp.
Poyer gives Texas a different kind of target. At 6'1" and 225 pounds, he brings a versatile skill set that shows up all over the field. He processes quickly, lands in the right spot, and handles the technical side of the position well.
He’s also a strong blitzer, finding openings in protection and taking solid angles to the quarterback. Against the run, he moves well through traffic and uses active feet to keep blockers from getting clean contact. He has the kind of athletic movement that jumps off the screen, slipping past tight ends and guards with ease.
As a junior in 2025, Poyer posted 54 tackles, 10 TFL, 7 sacks, 2 pass deflections, and 1 fumble recovery. With another year ahead of him as a senior, there’s a good chance those numbers climb if he gets even more freedom to roam and make plays.
Even as a three-star recruit, Poyer would be a meaningful addition for Texas. In a college football landscape shaped so heavily by finances, the Longhorns clearly see the value in finding and developing players like him at linebacker.
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