Texas Longhorns May Have Found a New Starter At Guard, but There Could Be a Hurdle

The Texas Longhorns’ newest addition in the transfer portal could be an impact starter, but he still has eligibility issues to work through.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian pauses during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

As the 2026 season approaches, the Texas Longhorns still have questions about who their five best players are on the offensive line. On Jan. 27, they may have found their answer, adding former Western Kentucky guard Laurence Seymore in the transfer portal.

Seymore is an All-American guard and could solve Texas’s gap on the left side — but first, there is an eligibility issue to work through. The star guard has an extension of eligibility waiver currently in progress, according to Pete Nakos of On3.

Texas Has Optimism for Laurence Seymore’s Eligibility Waiver

Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Cameron Williams (56) lines up during the first half against the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Seymore is an experienced offensive lineman with over 1,300 career snaps. He is joining his fourth program — previously playing for Miami (FL), Akron, and Western Kentucky — and looking for a sixth year of eligibility, counting his redshirt season.

According to Joe Cook of Inside Texas, per Seymore's representative, Derek Lora, “He will be working with the UT compliance department, but we are optimistic his case will be approved.”

In 2025, Seymore started at left guard for the Hilltoppers, a position for which Texas was looking for a solution. He played 764 snaps, all at left guard. The expectation is for Trevor Goosby and Melvin Siani to start at tackle, with Connor Robertson at center.

Brandon Baker can kick inside to guard after playing right tackle in 2025, likely filling in at right guard. Seymore could line up on the other side at left guard, though he has experience at right guard and center as well.

Texas Longhorns offensive coordinator Kyle Flood during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

If Seymore’s waiver is approved, he would be a big upgrade for offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Kyle Flood, who could get a starting guard late in the transfer portal process. He was named to Conference USA's second-team offense and was named a second-team All-American by Phil Steele and the Football Writers Association of America.

Seymore spent two seasons with the Miami Hurricanes, playing 24 offensive snaps and two games in 2021. This is likely the point of contention in Seymore’s waiver for eligibility. He played six games and 254 offensive snaps in 2022, starting four.

With Akron, he redshirted in 2023 before playing in 2024, starting four games. He played 210 snaps on offense with the Zips and started at guard and center. He entered the portal one more time before the 2025 season, playing a career-high 764 offensive snaps. He started 13 games, including a bowl game, and had a career-high PFF pass-blocking grade of 82.6.

A five-man line of Goosby, Seymore, Robertson, Baker, and Siani could transform Texas’s offensive line. It was a point of pain at times in 2025, and the new-look line could benefit the Longhorns in the passing and running game. Seymore and Siani are coming off career-best seasons as transfer portal additions, and Goosby is developing into one of the SEC’s top tackles.

Texas will need to wait for confirmation from the NCAA on Seymore’s eligibility, but if he does get the approval he is searching for, it could be one of the biggest additions the Longhorns made this offseason.