Ranking Texas Football's 10 Most Important Players for the 2026 Season

The Texas Longhorns have one of the most talented rosters in college football headed into the 2026 season, but it's about putting it all together in order to bring the program back to its championship-level prominence.

Doing so will require the collective effort of the entire roster, but there's 10 players that stand out among the rest.

Here are the Top 10 most important players for the Longhorns on their quest toward winning a national championship this upcoming season:

No. 10 Raleek Brown/Hollywood Smothers/Derrek Cooper

Ranking the running backs on the "most important" list is tough at this point in the offseason because it seems that they all carry a similar expected impact, with true freshman Derrek Cooper being a slight tick behind Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers due to having no collegiate experience. No one has secured the starting job and the true pecking order is unknown, perhaps even to the coaching staff.

The fact that Cooper has even entered his name into this conversation says a ton about what he can become for Texas down the line. He will hardly been seen as typical No. 3 running back on the depth chart.

Until things work themselves out as the season goes on, all three of these players will have to be grouped together until one of them can establish himself as "most important."

No. 9 - Graceson Littleton, CB

Littleton was one of the best true freshmen in the country last season, something he wasted no time proving after making impact plays in the opener against Ohio State.

Considering what he's already proven, Littleton easily makes this list and could rise further up early on in 2026 if he continues to show why he's the next great defensive back that Texas has produced.

No. 8 - Jelani McDonald, DB

McDonald could have headed off to the NFL, but he decided to return to Texas and reunite with defensive backs coach Blake Gideon.

Once seen as a young athletic freak in the Texas secondary, McDonald is now one of the undoubted leaders on Will Muschamp's defense. That said, it still feels like he gets vastly overlooked on a national scale, but he's one of the team's most important players this season.

No. 7 - Ryan Wingo, WR

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (1) runs after a catch as Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Jahron Manning (13) makes the tackle during the fourth quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ryan Wingo's 2025 season featured some poor lows and notable highs. But now with less of a WR1-level load on his shoulder thanks to the arrival of Cam Coleman, Wingo could be due for a big year, and easily makes this list as a result.

With much of the opposing defense's attention set to be on Coleman, Wingo could be the ultimate difference-maker for Texas this season. He would be the no-doubt No. 1 option on most other teams, but he's now got a chance to shine in a secondary role that likely fits him better than what he had to deal with last year.

No. 6 - Bo Mascoe, CB

Kade Phillips is set to be one of the SEC's best young cornerbacks next season but the Longhorns could end up leaning more heavily on a veteran like Bo Mascoe, who will be vying for the unofficial CB1 as well.

Mascoe has received rave reviews from both players and coaches this offseason. Despite the talent of Phillips and Graceson Littleton, expect him to end the year as Texas' best cornerback.

No. 5 - Rasheem Biles, LB

New defensive coordinator Will Muschamp made it clear that the linebacker room lacks overall experience and continuity, which made the addition of Rasheem Biles out of the portal earlier this offseason all the more important.

A versatile, ball-hawking linebacker with an NFL future, Biles will look to fill the void left by Anthony Hill Jr. and will no doubt be a major reason why Texas potentially meets its championship-level expectations this fall.

No. 4 - Cam Coleman, WR

It says something about the talent on the Texas roster that Cam Coleman is unable to crack the Top 3 on this list.

Coleman was one of the most coveted players in the portal for a reason, and will enter this season among the best wide receivers in the country. If everything goes to plan in 2026, Coleman will likely be a Top 10 pick in the NFL Draft next April.

No. 3 - Trevor Goosby, LT

Goosby could have been a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft but chose to return to Texas and thus immediately earns a spot in the Top 3 of this list.

Arguably the best left tackle in the country, Goosby will look to protect Arch Manning's blindside all the way to what Texas hopes is the National Championship Game in Las Vegas.

No. 2 - Colin Simmons, DE

What else can said about Colin Simmons that hasn't already been said? He's among the best players in college football regardless of position and is probably the most talented player the Longhorns have this season.

That doesn't necessarily make him the most important player on the Texas roster, but his impact is so significant toward the team's title-winning hopes that it would feel foolish to put him anywhere below No. 3.

No. 1 - Arch Manning, QB

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning warms up before a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

It goes without saying that most teams competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff would say that their quarterback is the most important player on the roster, and the same can be said for Texas. As one of the best quarterbacks in the country, Manning will likely be the driving force behind much of the team's success in 2026.

If Manning were to miss extended time with an injury, the Longhorns would have to lean on second-year quarterback KJ Lacey, who completed just one pass for seven yards as a true freshman last seaason. Despite the weapons Texas has on offense, Lacey is unproven and inexperienced.

The Longhorns need Manning healthy if they want a realistic chance of winning it all. It's an obvious conclusion, but that's why he lands at the No. 1 spot.

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