Texas Longhorns Missed Out on No. 1 WR; Where Do They Turn Next?

The Texas Longhorns never rest on the recruiting trail. Despite being near the end of a heated 2026 season, there is no time to slow down in preparing for the program's future.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian is aware of how a recruiting class impacts a program, and after the loss of Easton Royal for the 2027 cycle, the Longhorns are trying to go all in and corral the top prospects in the 2028 class.

They have now missed out on one, after the No. 1-ranked receiver Brysen Wright chose the Miami Hurricanes. So who will the Longhorns pursue now in the class to take his place?

Peyton Smith

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The No. 14-ranked receiver in the class and a top-11 prospect from Texas, the La Porte native has been making waves in the 2028 class in part due to his speed, route-running ability, and lengthy frame at 6-foot-2.

The Longhorns have been a big piece of his recruitment, and the program is a "dream school" for Smith, so a few check boxes have already been marked. Continuing to recruit him tough and maintaining contact should let the program take this one through the finish line.

Damarion Mays

Mays is the No. 108 recruit in the 2028 cycle and the No. 16-ranked receiver in the class. He's being heavily pursued by the Longhorns, as well as other in-state foes: the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Texas A&M Aggies.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound wide-out from North Crowley is a big chip for the cycle, and the Longhorns have an early lead, but other teams are closing in fast.

Ryan Wiley

Wiley came onto the recruiting scene rather late, but the Longhorns have been in on him for a while. He's ranked as the No. 93 overall receiver in the class, but he has an offer sheet that suggests he should be ranked much higher. He was in town for the win over the Ohio State Buckeyes and had nothing but great things to say about the program.

"It was crazy I had a great time, the atmosphere was great, and the actual game was the best part," Wiley told me for the Texas Longhorns On SI. "I feel great about Texas, definitely on top of the list."

The Longhorns will be locked in a heated battle with the Oklahoma Sooners to win his commitment, but the Rockwall native has a clear connection with the Forty Acres.

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