Here's What the Houston Cougars' Offensive Depth Chart Could Look Like in 2026
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With the departure of multiple senior talents but a bevy of moves made in the transfer portal by coach Willie Fritz to round out both signing periods, Houston football's roster has its fair share of roster changes for 2026 to go with the most welcome returns.
The returns are more than welcome in the age of NIL and the transfer portal feeling less restrictive to where it requires stout program resources to retain the most pivotal pieces, but with quarterback Conner Weigman and wide receiver Amare Thomas's roles, they've kept the team in consideration knowing the Big 12 ceiling can only go higher for the Cougars.
But where talent is lost, Fritz wastes no time in loading up in the portal, whether through second-chance recruiting experiences or connections from his tenure at Tulane.
So who are the probable starters for Houston in a mostly favorable 2026 slate? Here's a way-too-early offensive outlook of the Cougars' depth chart, which can be subject to change.
Quarterback
1. Conner Weigman
2. Keisean Henderson
3. Luke Carney
With Weigman's return for his senior season coming as no surprise announcement prior to the Cougars' Texas Bowl appearance, Houston, with a mostly favorable schedule in 2026, will have a chance to contend once again for a Big 12 title with him as one of the most improved signal callers, considering he finished 36th nationally in quarterback rating while rushing a career-high 700 yards in 2025.
It's also natural to consider that five-star signee Keisean Henderson might be a possible insurance policy option in waiting considering Weigman's injury history prior to transferring to Houston.
Running Back
1. Makhi Hughes
2. DJ Butler
3. Re'Shaun Sanford II
4. John Hebert
With the returns of Butler and Sanford for their junior seasons, especially after Sanford required season-ending knee surgery prior to the 2025 opener, the two will welcome the addition of Makhi Hughes for his redshirt senior season, while coach Willie Fritz welcomes him back under his watch as a three-season product at Tulane.
Hughes presents a case as the potential bellcow looking to bounce back from a mostly underwhelming start to his 2025 at Oregon, in which he filed for a redshirt after just four games.
Wide Receivers
X
1. Koby Young
2. Jaquise Martin
3. Muizz Tounkara
Z
1. Trent Walker
2. Harvey Broussard
3. Marquis Shoulders
H (Slot)
1. Amare Thomas
The return of Thomas for his senior season remains the most crucial news for the Cougars as a slot who averaged nearly 15 yards a reception and posted almost 1,000 yards total in 2025. Considering he gained portal interest from SEC programs whilst holding a stout NFL draft profile, it's a welcome sight for fans as Weigman's top receiving target.
Tight End
1. Patrick Overmyer
2. Traville Frederick Jr.
With the departure of tight end Tanner Koziol and his declaration for the 2026 NFL draft, the addition of UTSA transfer tight end Patrick Overmyer for his redshirt junior season replaces a veteran presence at the position with another.
Overmyer hauls in a career-high 344-yard 2025 campaign, having averaged nearly 14 yards per catch, and becomes the position room's example of hometown talents making their way to the Third Ward as a Humble, Texas-native and Kingwood Park high school alum.
He'll share the room with junior Traville Frederick Jr., who logged his first career touchdown in Houston's 38-35 Texas Bowl win over LSU on Dec. 27.
Offensive Line
Left Tackle
1. Alvin Ebosele
2. Ronnell McLain
Left Guard
1. Shadre Hurst
2. Larry Crawford
Center
1. Derek Joiner
2. Anthony Boswell
Right Guard
1. McKenzie Agnello
2. Cayden Bowie
Right Tackle
1. Drew Terrill
2. Hayden Wright
Depth was tested health-wise in Houston's offensive line in 2025, and with multiple senior departures, the returns of left tackle Alvin Ebosole and center McKenzie Agnello, along with portal additions like redshirt senior Shadre Hurst from Tulane and redshirt sophomore Anthony Boswell from Toledo, replenish that veteran pass-pro depth to maintain a comfortable pocket presence for Weigman.
Michael Carrara is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He attends the University of Houston, where he is a journalism major and a marketing minor. He is also a sports writer and reporter for the Daily Cougar, having covered baseball as an NCBWA member. You can find Michael on all major social media channels, including X on @michaelcoalec.