Steve Sarkisian Has a Bigger Goal in Mind as Texas Continues to Build NFL Pipeline

Steve Sarkisian has never been shy about discussing the importance of developing Texas players for the next level.

After NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53 players Sunday, the Longhorns coach offered a glimpse into how he measures the program’s progress. He made it clear that he believes Texas still has room to grow.

“We’re continually starting to see that number creep up and get back to where it used to be in the mid-2000s,” Sarkisian said Monday. “Getting into the 50s is where we need to get to.”

All Drafted Longhorns Made Their NFL Roster

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. celebrates after the Kentucky Wildcats fail to score in overtime at Kroger Field. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Sarkisian said Texas currently has 45 players on active NFL rosters, with four on injured reserve. He also noted that all six Longhorns selected in the 2026 NFL Draft made their respective teams.

That group includes Anthony Hill Jr. with the Tennessee Titans, Malik Muhammad, Trey Moore, Michael Taaffe, and DJ Campbell with the Miami Dolphins, and Jack Endries with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The success extended beyond the draft picks.

Former Texas edge rusher Ethan Burke, who went undrafted in April, earned a spot with the Baltimore Ravens. Burke signed with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent and survived the team's roster cuts, giving him an opportunity to begin his professional career.

For Sarkisian, those developments represent more than a collection of former players finding work in the NFL. They are evidence of the direction he wants the Texas program to continue moving.

“We’re always fired up for our guys that get an opportunity to extend their career,” Sarkisian said.

The Longhorns have steadily increased their NFL presence during Sarkisian’s tenure, and the 2026 group gives the program another sizable contingent entering the league. The six drafted players were part of a Texas class that saw every Longhorn selected make an initial 53-man roster, according to Sarkisian.

Now, the coach has his sights set on an even larger number.

The benchmark is significant because Texas has historically been one of college football’s most productive programs when it comes to sending players to the NFL. Sarkisian referenced the mid-2000s as the standard he wants the Longhorns to approach again.

For a program entering its sixth season under Sarkisian, that goal fits into a broader vision: develop players capable of competing for championships in Austin while preparing them for opportunities beyond college football.

The latest NFL roster cuts offered Sarkisian another reason to be encouraged.

But his comments also made clear that he does not view 45 as the finish line.

For Texas, the next objective is getting that number into the 50s with players moving on to the next level after this season.

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