Steve Sarkisian's 3 Biggest Priorities For Texas Longhorns After NFL Draft

The Texas Longhorns were once again well represented during the 2026 NFL Draft last week but it was still a quiet year compared to what the program produced the last two years.

Texas had six players selected in this year's draft, though this didn't feature a first-round selection for the first time since 2022 when the Longhorns failed to produce a single draft pick. That said, it's an easy bet that the Longhorns will quickly stop that from becoming a trend in the 2027 NFL Draft with the potential of as many as five Texas players having the chance to go in the first round.

But before looking too far ahead to what next year's draft could have in store, Steve Sarkisian and the Texas coaching staff now have another chance to evaluate some of the biggest priorities on the roster after officially watching the team's draft departures begin a new journey.

Figure Out Starting Offensive Line

Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Brandon Baker against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Longhorns went into the offseason needing to make some changes along the offensive line and did just that thanks to the transfer portal.

Unfortunately, the coaching staff was unable to see what the starting unit could look like during spring ball due to injury and eligibility issues. Starting left tackle Trevor Goosby was working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery while Western Kentucky transfer Laurence Seymore, a projected starter, was waiting to be granted an eligibility waiver by the NCAA and missed all of spring practice.

Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood emphasized that though certain guys might be seen by the media as starters, it's still an open competition across the board. Once the Longhorns return for summer workouts and fall camp, the coaching will have to prioritize figuring out its starting offensive line.

Defensive Depth

The Longhorns made two very late portal additions to the defensive depth chart at the end of spring ball with Brown cornerback Nick Hudson and Michigan linebacker Darius Snow. Headed into the first season under new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, there's a possibility that the staff feels the depth on defense could be an issue given these two recent moves.

At the top of the depth chart, Texas is loaded with talent at almost every spot and boast the potential No. 1 overall pick in edge rusher Colin Simmons, but the Longhorns will need to feel strong about the second and third-string players before heading into the season opener against Texas State.

There's no doubt that will be an area of emphasis during the summer and fall for Sarkisian, Muschamp and the rest of the staff to figure out after losing four defensive starters to the draft in Michael Taaffe, Anthony Hill Jr., Trey Moore and Malik Muhammad.

Continue To Protect The Team's Stars

If the Longhorns want to win a national championship, they need to be as healthy as possible headed into December and January. And if Texas wants to produce double-digit draft picks next offseason, Sarkisian and the coaching staff have to stick with their overly-cautious approach on injuries.

Some of the team's best players, including Arch Manning, underwent offseason surgeries. The coaching staff clearly sent a message that keeping these guys healthy on the sidelines during the spring instead of rushing them back was the best move.

Even if this means that guys like Cam Coleman, Colin Simmons or Rasheem Biles have to miss one game early on due to the medical staff being overly cautious, then so be it. The program and its player have big goals in sight.

Texas fans were disappointed when the team decided to change its spring game to a spring practice, but the choice came with injury risk in mind. The Longhorns exited the spring without any major injuries due to Sarkisian's approach, and it's something that should remain intact during this championship window.

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