3 Players Who Could Break Out for Texas This Season

The Texas Longhorns will hit the field for the 2026 season with expectations and predictions that will be sky high. The Longhorns will undoubtedly be ranked among the preseason's top teams in the country and could potentially enter the season as the No. 1 team in the country for the second straight year.

Texas has plenty of newcomers on its 2026 roster, adding plenty of talent out of the transfer portal and bringing in the No. 7-ranked high school recruiting class. The Longhorns add the new with the old to create one of the most talented rosters in the country.

With all the talent on the Longhorns roster, there will be a few players who can make the most of a new opportunity headed into the 2026 season. Here's a look at three Longhorns who could have a breakout season in 2026.

Ty'Anthony Smith

The Longhorns will be heading into life without one of their mainstays in the middle of their defense, Anthony Hill Jr., moving on to the NFL. To fill that void, Texas brought in Rasheem Biles out of the transfer portal, who will undoubtedly be looked at to replicate some of that lost production.

However, junior Ty'Anthony Smith should not be lost in the shuffle and will have the chance to showcase his talents. Smith came on strong in the back half of the 2025 season and ended the year with 60 tackles (39 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, three pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.

Smith is a downhill, hard-hitting linebacker who excels both in space and in coverage. The linebackers' high-level instincts and knack for creating havoc plays translate well to what a Will Muschamp defense prides itself on.

Brad Spence

The Longhorns need another pass-rushing option on the opposite side of Colin Simmons to rush the passer, and while sophomore Lance Jackson showed what he can do in his first year in Austin. Senior Brad Spence, while in limited snaps, also showed he can be effective in disrupting an offense.

Spence transitioned to a full-time edge rusher ahead of the 2025 season after playing much of his career at linebacker. The move took some time to work itself out as Spence finished the season with 21 tackles, six tackles for loss, and three sacks.

Although the production was minimal, Spence flashed what he could do off the edge, still being a solid run stopper, while his power and twitch were evident. Now, in a new scheme, if given a higher share of snaps to come off the edge, Spence could become a real threat on the other side of Simmons.

Emmett Mosley V

The Longhorns' passing offense will undoubtedly revolve around star transfer Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, now being one of the best secondary options in the country. However, not to be forgotten in the Texas offense is Emmett Mosley V.

It took a while for Mosley to become a factor in the Longhorns' offense after missing the first few weeks of the season, but after making his first appearance, Mosley showed why he was brought in. Mosley played in nine games in 2025 and tallied 28 receptions for 408 yards and three touchdowns.

This season, Mosley will likely look to do most of his damage from inside the slot, meaning the six-foot-two, 205-pound wide receiver will have plenty of matchup advantages. As a sure-handed pass catcher, Mosley will look to become Arch Manning's security blanket in crucial times.

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