Texas is already carrying the kind of preseason buzz that usually comes with a playoff run, and the SEC just poured gasoline on it. The Longhorns landed 11 players on the Preseason All-SEC teams, a haul that puts Steve Sarkisian’s roster squarely in the national title conversation before the 2026 season even kicks off.
Arch Manning is the headliner, of course, but he’s hardly alone. Texas had recognition spread across the roster, with playmakers and trench pieces alike earning spots on the conference lists.
That kind of spread matters. It’s one thing to have a star quarterback.
It’s another to have the league acknowledging talent at quarterback, receiver, running back, offensive line, linebacker and all over the defense.
First-team honors went to Ryan Niblett, Coleman, Simmons, Trevor Goosby and Rasheem Biles. Manning and Trey Dubuc were placed on the second team, while Hollywood Smoothers, Ryan Wingo, Brandon Baker and Jelani McDonald made the third team.
For a program chasing bigger goals than just a return trip to the College Football Playoff, the balance of that list stands out. Texas doesn’t just have names. It has depth, and it has it in the right places.
Manning, Goosby, Simmons and Wingo have now been recognized in consecutive years, giving the Longhorns a core that’s already been through the heat of major expectations. That matters in a league where every week can punish a soft spot.
Manning will draw the spotlight, but Simmons may end up being just as vital to Texas’ ceiling. A disruptive pass rusher can tilt a postseason game in a hurry, and the Longhorns are counting on him to stay one of the most dangerous defenders in college football.
The additions also make the picture more intriguing. Smoothers comes over from NC State after a season in which he ran for a career-high 939 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. Biles arrives from Pittsburgh with real production on his résumé, including 100 tackles as a junior and a career line of 10.5 sacks and three interceptions.
Those aren’t projects. They’re ready-made pieces brought in to help Texas win immediately.
Coleman’s first-team nod gives Manning another dangerous target, while Niblett and Wingo add more speed and playmaking to an offense built to turn ordinary snaps into chunk gains. And up front, Goosby and Baker carry the burden of keeping everything protected and on schedule.
Preseason honors don’t win games, and Texas fans know how quickly the hype can get tested once SEC play starts. But 11 selections on the conference’s preseason teams is a loud statement all the same. It says this Longhorns roster has the kind of depth and completeness that makes national title talk feel less like noise and more like a real possibility.
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Steve Sarkisian Is In A Heated Fight For Must Have Texas Lineman
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The Longhorns are trying to sell more than just the brand name, because Texas A&M, Oklahoma, LSU and SMU are all in the mix as well. For a program that has dealt with the offensive line as one of its biggest question marks under Sarkisian, landing a player like Harris would carry obvious value, but the real challenge is still ahead as he weighs the coaches and the fit that matter most to him. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Still Has A Shot At A Massive 2027 Recruiting Flip
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Honor Fa'alave-Johnson remains one of the more intriguing players in the 2027 cycle because evaluators see real value beyond one position. He is widely viewed as a safety at the Power 4 level, yet his high school production has included major work as a runner and receiver, which is part of why Texas is still so interested. If the Longhorns are going to make a late move here, they will need to keep pressing on a recruitment that already has plenty of attention and no shortage of moving parts. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Miller Has Texas In The Hunt For A Massive 5-Star Win
Sean Millers first months in Austin have already brought a noticeable recruiting jolt, and Texas is now in the mix for one of the biggest names in the 2027 class. Five-star center Darius Wabbington has emerged as a major target for the Longhorns, a sign that the program is aiming high as it tries to stack elite talent around the foundation it has already built through recent commitments and a strong run in the portal.
Wabbington has trimmed his list to a small group of heavy hitters, and Texas is still standing alongside some of the sports most established powers. He has official visits lined up to several of those programs, including Texas, which keeps the Longhorns firmly in the conversation as the race moves into a more serious phase. For Miller, this is the kind of battle that can help define how quickly Texas can turn momentum on the recruiting trail into something lasting. [Read more 🡒]