Texas Longhorns Lost 5-Star WR Easton Royal to Florida at Worst Possible Time

After dropping a game for the first time this season at the hand of arguably their biggest rivals, the Texas Longhorns got even worse news the day after when top-ranked commit Easton Royal flipped his choice to the Florida Gators.

There is still a slim chance the Longhorns could flip him back, but with an all-time bad beat weekend for the program, turning elsewhere could prove more fruitful.

So where does head coach Steve Sarkisian go now, and what about the rest of the 2027 class?

What Does It Mean For the 2027 Cycle?

Texas Longhorns running back Raleek Brown (0) and defensive back Zelus Hicks (13) take the field before the game between the Sooners and the Longhorns at Cotton Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Losing Royal certainly hurts the Longhorns' 2027 class, but the outcome of his decision wasn't completely blindsiding, and was partially expected after a long-drawn out recruitment. That doesn't mean that the program has all the answers, or know where to turn right away, but there are certainly options.

The Longhorns already have two commits in the cycle, Briceson Thrower and Kyron Brown, two recruits that the coaching staff is extremely excited to get on campus and add to the program. However, Royal was the top recruit in the class, and now with his departure, are on the brink falling outside the top-10.

For Sarkisian, finding a replacement won't be easy this late in the cycle, with most recruits already having a commitment elsewhere. That means flipping a recruit, and Ja'Hyde Brown, a Louisville commit, is already set to visit the program in October.

Brown is ranked as the No. 21 receiver in the class, and at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, is more than capable of stretching the field vertically if needed. He has big-play, touchdown ability any time the ball touches his hand has proven production, leading the state of Kentucky in receiving yards (1,556) and touchdowns (24).

Swaying his commitment, won't come easy though as he been committed to the Cardinals since March 30 this year. On top of that, he's also a Louisville native, committed to his local college. Offering a handsome NIL package, could play a big factor, though.

The Silver Lining

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian — Texas coach Steve Sarkisian prepares to lead his team onto the field to start the college football game against Texas on Sept. 26, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns receiver core is very balanced, and while the upperclassmen get the limelight for now, the program has plenty of young talent in the room in Jermaine Bishop Jr. and Kaliq Lockett. However, with that said, the Longhorns are known to be aggressive when it comes to sharpening up a roster.

While the talent is there to replace the core at the end of this season, there is no doubt that the program will go after more names in the portal, and with potentially left over NIL money, that could be used to land a proven name before 2027.

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