Houston Cougars Post-Transfer Portal 2026 Depth Chart Review: Wide Receivers
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After a successful 10-2 campaign last year, head coach Willie Fritz and staff recruited hard in the 2026 high school and transfer portal class to help sustain that success going forward.
With the loss of star wide receiver Stephon Johnson, Houston had to add several playmakers to fill the void.
Now, the Cougars have their wide receiver core for 2026, and they are a very talented group.
Houston’s Wide Receivers To Watch In 2026
Amare Thomas
Senior wide receiver Amare Thomas returns to Houston as one of the best players in the entire Big 12 Conference.
Last year, he had the best season of his career, finishing with 67 receptions for 966 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Thomas finished second in the conference in receiving yards, and he tied for sixth in the entire NCAA with 12 receiving touchdowns.
With a new-look wide receiver room, Thomas almost certainly will once again be the wide receiver one going into 2026.
Trent Walker
Senior wide receiver Trent Walker was acquired from Oregon State through the transfer portal, and he gives the Cougars another veteran pass catcher that will make a major impact.
After having a small role his freshman year for the Beavers, he broke out by combining for 149 receptions and 1,724 receiving yards across his sophomore and junior seasons.
Walker also impressed in Houston’s matchup against Oregon State earlier this season, where he finished with seven catches for 103 yards.
Looking ahead to 2026, Walker will be heavily relied upon in the passing attack.
Harvey Broussard
After racking up 55 catches for 503 yards across his first two seasons as a Ragin’ Cajun, senior wide receiver Harvey Broussard III had a slow start to his career as a Cougar.
In 2025, he totaled just nine catches for 126 yards and a touchdown. However, with Johnson now declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, Broussard now has a chance to have a major impact.
Standing at 6-foot-3, he can be that outside receiver and red zone threat the Cougars desperately need for this upcoming season.
Koby Young
With redshirt freshman wide receiver Koby Young having his first season back from injury, he showed a lot of potential in his limited opportunities.
Last season, he totaled 12 catches for 191 yards, and he filled into the deep ball threat role very nicely as he averaged 15.9 yards per catch.
With more experience, Thomas should see a heavy increase in snaps, and with his lightning speed, he could very well be Houston’s deep threat again this season.
Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram (@ashtonagrissom8) or Twitter (@ashtongrissom8).