Texas Longhorns Might Have Next College Football Star

Steve Sarkisian has the Texas Longhorns ready to reload before the 2025 season, primarily because of the blue-chip recruits the head coach has been able to attract.

Many of these players will get a chance to step further into the spotlight next season with hopes of seeing similar NFL success like their departing teammates. There could certainly be some surprise contributors pop up along the way and throw their name into the draft mix, but it feels like a safe bet to tab one Texas defensive back as a surefire riser.

Meet Jelani McDonald. While rotating in at the safety and the nickleback position, the Longhorns defensive back never truly got his chance to shine last season as he was stuck behind two All-Americans in Jahdae Barron and Michael Taaffe. That will change soon enough, and look no further than the offseason praise from head coach Steve Sarkisian as proof.

ASU Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) runs with the ball against Texas Longhorns defensive back Jelani McDonald — Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) runs with the ball against Texas Longhorns defensive back Jelani McDonald (25) during the second half of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"Jelani is a tremendous safety," Sarkisian said in March. "He really is a fantastic player. We utilized him some at Nickel last year, where we got out of going to base defense, necessarily, where we're putting, you know, real line through a third linebacker on the field, where Jelani could be somewhat of a hybrid force versus teams that were getting into some bigger personnel, some 12 personnel, and things, all those things kind of remain to be seen, and how we evolve as a defense, of where we go, what this looks like, and how we grow.

"But he's a versatile guy that could definitely play safety or play Star. He really could be a dime linebacker for us in some of our dime packages, which I think we've, you know, we've tried to recruit two versatile players with high football IQ."

As a freshman, McDonald played in 12 games but primarily saw action on special teams, finishing the year with two tackles that came during the Big 12 Championship against Oklahoma State. In his sophomore season, the 6-2 DB from Waco finished the season with 33 tackles and got his first-career interception against Kentucky.

Now, as a junior, McDonald is expected to man the nickleback position full-time in a defense that brings back some valuable pieces from the team last year, including other juniors such as Malik Muhammad and Anthony Hill Jr.

McDonald is just another example of a player recruited by Sarkisian who trusts in his vision and stays in the program, eagerly awaiting his turn to be an impact player for the Longhorns. Finally, after two seasons, the junior has earned his opportunity and is expected to be a big-time player in 2025.