How Texas' Recruiting Tactics Have Changed With CFB Landscape

Coming off an underwhelming 2025 season, by standards stemming from the preseason No. 1 ranking and two straight College Football Playoff appearances, significant changes were to be expected in the Texas Longhorns personnel heading into 2026.

And there were.

The chaos started with a coaching overhaul that saw the arrival of running backs coach Jabbar Juluke and returns of defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and defensive passing game coordinator Blake Gideon.

Then the transfer portal window opened, bringing player turnover all over the country. But the Longhorns' approach in the portal indicated a shift to roster makeup that is needed to compete in the Southeastern Conference and in the updated landscape of college sports.

The result is a retooled roster on both sides of the football, effectively utilizing both high school recruiting and the highly important transfer portal. Brooks Austin, of The Film Guy Network, analyzed Texas' offseason moves in a video released Friday.

Texas brings in 'drastic haul' through transfer portal

Texas Longhorns linebacker Rasheem Biles — Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Rasheem Biles (3) scored a pick-six touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Every year since head coach Steve Sarkisian arrived, the Longhorns have ranked amongst the nation's best in high school recruiting, bringing in top talents that play marquee roles year in and year out. On today's roster, those names include, but are not limited to, quarterback Arch Manning, wide receiver Ryan Wingo and defensive end Colin Simmons.

The 2026 class is no different, with highly touted prospects such as quarterback Dia Bell, athlete Jermaine Bishop, running back Derrek Cooper and linebacker Tyler Atkinson joining the Longhorns following Early Signing Day.

But to complement that group is a record amount of transfer additions in the Sarkisian era.

"This was a team that was building heavily through high school recruiting and then buying 'caketoppers' on top of that via the transfer portal," Austin said in his video. "A lot of these blue bloods that recruit at a high rate, they have constantly, despite the fact that the portal is around, been built through blue-chip statuses out of high school. Texas has been doing this for the past three or four years, since Sark has got there.

"I think they were a top-five class again in 2026. They've maintained that. But on top of that, this year, boy, did they spend some money. They added 19 incoming transfers. This year, I would argue their roster, their cake of their roster, is built out of the portal. The toppers are actually gonna come from the high school class that they sign."

Offensively, Austin is referencing acquisitions like former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, NC State running back Hollywood Smothers and Arizona State running back Raleek Brown. Defensively, the newest Longhorns include former Pittsburgh linebacker Rasheem Biles, who Austin called a "tremendous athlete," and Rutgers cornerback Bo Mascoe.

These players join position rooms that posed quite a concern following the 2025 season. Texas saw the trio of Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter leave the backfield corps before the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, while top-producing linebackers Anthony Hill Jr. and Liona Lefau exited the roster as well.

"I think the biggest question we had about them was, what are you going to do on the offensive line?" Austin said.

Again, the Longhorns have seemed to answer the call. Wake Forest transfer Melvin Siani, who Austin states is a "great scheme fit," slots in at right tackle, and Western Kentucky transfer Lawrence Seymore, pending an approved eligibility waiver, takes over at one of the guard spots. The retentions of Trevor Goosby at left tackle and Brandon Baker as a starter — and center Connor Robertson, too — add real potential for the Longhorns' offensive front.

In January and February, Texas has reacted to all of its holes from a season ago by attracting experience and already existing collegiate talent that will likely provide instant solutions and upgrades. There are examples of high-impact transfers from the past — Quinn Ewers, Adonai Mitchell, Isaiah Bond, Trey Moore and Andrew Mukuba all fit into that category. But in a singular offseason, there has been nothing to the extent of this one.

"This is their first year really making this much of a drastic haul (in the transfer portal). 19 players is a little bit outside of the par for the course for them," Austin said.

Recruiting wins like Atkinson, Cooper, Bishop, defensive tackle James Johnson and offensive lineman John Turntine III bring further depth and upside, rather than necessarily having to be immediate playmakers.

As the Longhorns look to return to the CFP, the approach to team-building has clearly shifted with the times.