Texas’ preseason buzz got another boost, this time from the people who coach against it.
The Longhorns put 11 players on the 2026 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team, matching Georgia for the most in the conference. They also landed five first-team selections, tying LSU for the league high and putting a loud stamp on how SEC coaches view Steve Sarkisian’s roster.
The first-team group gives Texas a little bit of everything. Rasheem Biles was honored at linebacker, Cam Coleman at wide receiver, Trevor Goosby on the offensive line, Ryan Niblett as a return specialist and Colin Simmons off the edge. It’s a spread that says plenty about the kind of talent Texas is bringing into the season.
Simmons and Goosby are back on the preseason list after finishing 2025 as First-Team All-SEC picks, so their presence wasn’t much of a surprise. The more notable name in the mix is Arch Manning, who landed on the second team at quarterback. Even with the attention that follows him everywhere, SEC coaches still slotted someone else ahead of him at the position.
Texas’ depth showed up again on the third team. Offensive lineman Brandon Baker, long snapper Trey Dubuc, defensive back Jelani McDonald, running back Hollywood Smothers and wide receiver Ryan Wingo all earned spots there. Niblett also showed up on the third team as an all-purpose player, making him one of just five SEC players recognized at multiple positions.
That fits with what he’s already proven. Niblett was one of college football’s most explosive return threats last season, and Texas now has another way to use him beyond special teams.
The bottom line for Texas is pretty clear: this isn’t a roster leaning on a couple of headline names. The SEC has already made it clear it sees real depth across the board.
Texas opens the season Sept. 5 against Texas State. After that, the pressure ramps up quickly.
In Other News...
Texas Fans Suddenly Have Another Quarterback Story To Watch
Freshman quarterback Dia Bell has started to make some noise in Texas fall camp, enough to draw attention from outside the program and add another layer to the Longhorns quarterback conversation. With Arch Manning and KJ Lacey currently ahead of him on the depth chart, Bell is still very much in the background for now, but his early showing has made it easier to understand why the staff views him as more than a long-term project.
Steve Sarkisian has made a habit of building quarterbacks from within, and Bell fits neatly into that approach as the next name to follow. Texas still has bigger immediate priorities at the position, but Bells rise gives the Longhorns another intriguing storyline to monitor, especially with the sense that he could eventually push into the starting mix rather than simply wait his turn. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Freshman Jermaine Bishop Is Forcing His Way Into The Offense
Jermaine Bishop has been turning heads in Texas practice work, and the freshman wide receiver is starting to look like more than just a promising name on the roster. He has shown real playmaking ability in scrimmages, including multiple touchdown catches, and that kind of production has a way of getting a staffs attention in August.
Steve Sarkisian has been especially struck by Bishops composure and competitiveness, two traits that usually travel well once the games start counting. The Longhorns are now weighing a bigger offensive role for him in the near future, and if the recent trend holds, Bishop may not stay in the background for long. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Stoops Could Shape The Texas Identity Sarkisian Really Wants
Mark Stoops arrival in Austin this spring gave Texas another veteran voice with real SEC mileage, and it came at a time when the Longhorns are still defining what they want to look like in their new league home. As a special assistant to the head coach, Stoops brings the kind of experience Texas can lean on as it settles into its third season in the conference, especially with the added challenge of matching weekly toughness against teams built for that style of play.
What makes the hire interesting is how neatly Stoops fits into the identity Steve Sarkisian has been trying to build. Texas wants to be more physical and more committed to the run game, and Stoops has spent years having success in exactly those areas during his Kentucky tenure. The bigger question now is how much of that blueprint actually makes its way into the Longhorns week-to-week personality. [Read more 🡒]