Houston Cougars Have a Talented Pair on Final Rivals 300 Rankings
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The Houston Cougars have a clearer outlook on their roster heading into the 2026 season. With most of their transfer portal activity in the background, the Coogs were able to bring several key additions out of the portal that'll be immediate impact players.
The Coogs were also able to retain several of their key players, with starting quarterback Conner Weigman and wide receiver Amare Thomas both returning to Houston for the 2026 season, and the Cougars also bring in their 2026 recruiting class into the fold.
In just his second season, head coach Willie Fritz was able to build out not only one of the top recruiting classes in the Big 12 but also one of the best classes in program history, as for the 2026 cycle, the Coogs' recruiting class ranked No. 35 in the country and No. 5 in the Big 12 per On3, landing some of the top players in the class.
Two Incoming Houston Cougars in Rivals' Rankings
On Tuesday, Rivals released their final rankings of the Top 300 players in the 2026 recruiting class, and signaling the improvement and increasing momentum the Coogs are having as a program, Houston has two of its 2026 signees landing on Rivals' final rankings.
The highest-ranked recruit should not come as a surprise, as five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2026 cycle by Rivals. The Houston, TX product also ranked as the second-best quarterback and the top player out of the Lone Star State.
Henderson ended his final campaign at Legacy School of Sports Sciences with 3,741 passing yards, 44 touchdowns, and six interceptions. And an additional 591 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
247Sports' scouting analyst Gabe Brooks provided a scouting report on Henderson, mentioning that the quarterback may need time to develop and learn the position at the next level; however, when ready, Henderson could be a dynamic player.
"Ideally, will get a year or more to acclimate to the college game given the position-specific demands, but projects as an eventual game-changing QB with high-level field vision and awareness," Brooks wrote. "Plus skill-player athleticism, who could become a coveted early-round NFL candidate."
The other Cougar on the list is four-star running back John Hebert, who was ranked as the No. 226 player by Rivals. The running back was also ranked as the No. 18 player at his position and No. 32 player from the state of Texas.
The Houston, TX product finished with very productive junior and senior seasons of high school football at Strake Jesuit, rushing for 3,500 yards in both seasons and for over 8,000 rushing yards and 89 touchdowns in his high school career.
Also giving a scouting report for Hebert, Brooks described the potential of the four-star running back possibly being an impact player right away and highlighted his athleticism.
"Projects to the high-major level as a potential impact back who could get on the field early," Brooks wrote. "Pairs particularly well with a bigger banger. Athleticism and position-specific acumen to become a legitimate pro prospect."
