Steve Sarkisian 'Fascinated' by New Texas Longhorns Signee

Early singing day was in full swing on Wednesday, with some of the top high school prospects in the class of 2026 making their commitments official and signing with the programs they have chosen to call home.

For the Texas Longhorns, it was a very busy day securing the signatures of all 23 of their verbal commits on Wednesday. While it was not a top-5 recruiting class that has quickly become expected with Steve Sarkisian at the helm, the Longhorns' 2026 class was still among the best in the country, ranked the No. 8 recruiting class in the nation by 247Sports.

As always, the Longhorns have lined up a class filled with high-end talent that could make an impact right away once they arrive on campus, along with those who may need some time to work their way up the depth chart. But it's clear one of the newest Longhorns has already impressed Sarkisian with some potential for impact on Day 1.

Richard Wesley Has Impressed Steve Sarkisian

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian reacts after a touchdown during overtime against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Sarkisian talked about some of the biggest pieces of the class while meeting with the media, obviously highlightin guys like quarterback Dia Bell and linebacker Tyler Atkinson, both of whom were ranked top players at their position.

Sarkisian also spoke at length about one special player in the class, five-star edge rusher Richard Wesley out of Sierra Canyon High School in Los Angeles, California. The Longhorns' head coach talked about what intrigues him about the West Coast native, saying he's "fascinated" by Wesley.

"This guy's 6-foot-4, 245 pounds and he's 16 years old," Sarkisian said. "I'm fascinated by him, the fact that he's going to be here in a few weeks. His demeanor is not of a 16 year old. This guy is very focused. He's very driven. He's very serious about football, his craft. He's got two wonderful parents who we've got, and I've got a great relationship with them. I think they have done a tremendous job of guiding him throughout this process."

Sarkisian's excitement for Wesley should not come as a surprise, as the five-star prospect was ranked as the No. 8 player at his position and the fourth-best player out of California. Wesley was already an elite prospect in the 2026 class but was even more highly rated in the 2027 class ranks as Wesley was a top-five overall prospect in the 2027 cycle before re-classifying to 2026.

Additionally, Sarkisian noted how Wesley could become an immediate impact player for the Longhorns next season, but also highlighted his potential development at Texas.

"I think he's going to be a guy that is, going to really contribute to this team," Sarkisian said. "How early we'll see, but I would not be surprised if he has, if he contributes early on in his career. He's that high-level of a player. He's a very versatile player. It's going to be interesting to watch his body grow and develop. He's 16 years old, you know, how big can he get? How twitchy can he get? But we couldn't be more excited about Richard, and it's been a great process."