Texas Lands Key Pieces, but Sarkisian Seeks More Portal Additions

The head coach said that Texas will need to add offensive line pieces after the season's conclusion.

Oct 25, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on during warm ups prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

With the early signing period coming to a close, Texas Longhorns' head coach Steve Sarkisian met with the media to talk about the top 10 recruiting class that they built on during the early signing period.

While the Longhorns had a smaller signing class than in years past, Sarkisian emphasized that Texas valued quality over quantity when attacking the recruiting scene. With increased utilization of the transfer portal, it's only natural that many programs have left room for additions to their program after the season's conclusion.

Rather than simply filling spots with their recruiting class, Texas seems to have focused on guys that can make an immediate impact from the moment they step on campus.

Sarkisian's Thoughts on Texas' Incoming Offensive Line

Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian claps during warmups before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

In his opening statement on this year's recruiting class, Sarkisian gave some insight on how the Longhorns evaluate offensive linemen at the high school level. The head coach mentioned that recruits in the trenches don't normally contribute in their first year in the program.

"I think naturally, it's like, we'll just go sign a bunch of offensive linemen," Sarkisian said. "The reality is that high school offensive linemen don't always equate to helping you the very next year, so you have to leave room for the portal to make that happen."

Like Texas, many programs have likely adopted the same philosophy when recruiting at the high school level. In fact, programs like Indiana have found great success pulling in large transfer portal classes.

On the flip side, programs like North Carolina have seen an opposite result. The Tarheels brought in 37 transfers during the offseason, but only reached four wins in Bill Belichick's first year as the head coach.

"All in all, I'm very excited about this group," Sarkisian added. "I think there's some guys that will have an immediate impact. There are some guys that will be great developmental players for us, that we may not hear their name next year, but man, in two years these guys are gonna be good players for us.

Breaking Down the Longhorns' Current O-Line Class

Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian celebrates with his team after winning the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

As of right now, the Longhorns' recruiting class includes three offensive linemen. Sarkisian and his staff landed two 4-star interior offensive linemen by the names of Nicolas Robertson and Kaden Scherer. John Turntine III is the lone offensive tackle in the recruiting class.

Robertson and Scherer each bring some considerable size to the Longhorns' offensive line depth. Robertson, the Spring, Texas native, enters the program at 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, and is ranked as the No.59 recruit in the state of Texas. Scherer represents a taller build, standing at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, and is the No. 159-ranked offensive lineman in Texas.

When talking about Turntine III earlier this week, Sarkisian said that he believes the tackle could develop into a key offensive line piece for the Longhorns down the road. The Fort Worth, Texas native is currently the No. 11-ranked offensive tackle in the state and has shown incredible athleticism in his high school career.