One of the Biggest Offseason Moves Texas Made Was One Nobody Is Talking About

The Texas Longhorns were among the major headline-grabbers when it came to offseason moves following the 2025 season. Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns went to work over the offseason after coming up short of the College Football Playoff a season ago.

The Longhorns made major changes and additions over the offseason, sparking conversations among Texas fans and the rest of college football. From the addition of defensive coordinator Will Muschamp to getting Cam Coleman out of the transfer portal, these moves have been talked about all offseason and for good reason.

However, Sarkisian and company made a few big-time moves at one position that could heavily impact the Longhorns' fate in 2026, but it hasn't garnered much buzz or dominated the offseason headlines as much as it should.

Texas Quietly Retooled the Interior of Its Defensive Line

Texas Longhorns defensive tackle Hero Kanu (93) celebrates during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns have elite talent across the board with one of the deepest wide receiver rooms not just in the SEC but in the country, a game-changing duo at the running back spot, and one of the best edge rushers in the game in Colin Simmons.

However, a position group that is not spoken of as highly as those but will be one of the vital parts of the Longhorns' 2026 season is the defensive tackle room that Texas retooled over the offseason.

The biggest offseason win for the interior of the Longhorns' defensive line was retaining breakout star Hero Kanu, who opted to forgo the NFL and return to the Forty Acres for another season. Kanu was not a high-profile addition out of the transfer portal ahead of the 2025 season but became one of the most impactful players for Texas, totaling 30 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.

Sarkisian didn't ignore the position in the transfer portal, adding two players to his defensive tackle room. The biggest was Arkansas' transfer Ian Geffrard, who stands at a towering 6-5, 375 pounds. With Geffrard's massive frame, the transfer will slot right into the middle of Muschamp's defense as a run-stuffer whose main job is to take on multiple blockers and free up space for Texas' linebackers.

The Longhorns also dipped into the transfer portal to bring in a young developmental piece in LSU transfer Zion Williams. The redshirt-freshman likely won't be expected to have a major contribution in 2026, but at six-foot-four, 370 pounds, Williams has the frame to develop into an important defensive tackle.

Texas also helped shape its defensive tackle room through retention, hanging on to pieces that can grow into bigger roles this season. Bringing back junior Alex January, a veteran of the program who has slowly grown during his time at Texas, is poised for a breakout year in 2026. And second-year transfer Maraad Watson will look to have a bigger impact in his second season in the program.

The Longhorns also hung on to second-year players Myron Charles and Josiah Sharma, who will look to keep developing and find a role in 2026.

And the X-factor in the room is sophomore Justus Terry, who has all the talent in the world. If he can stay healthy as he splits time between edge and defensive tackle, Terry could be a big-time player in 2026.

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