The One Texas Player the Longhorns Simply Can't Afford to Lose in 2026

The Texas Longhorns are full of star power in the 2026 season, but there's one piece of their puzzle that they must keep for the entire campaign.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on prior to a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian have had a busy offseason ever since securing their 41-27 win in the Citrus Bowl over the Michigan Wolverines.

After Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter inserted their names into the NCAA Transfer Portal, the Horns picked up Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown from North Carolina State and Arizona State, respectively, to fill the holes.

The Burnt Orange also landed what many would call the top option in the portal, as Auburn Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman announced his transfer to the 40 Acres, giving quarterback Arch Manning an elite target out wide as Texas looks to return to the national championship picture in the 2026 season.

Texas' One Key Piece in the 2026 Season

Wake Forest Demon Deacons wide receiver Sterling Berkhalter (4) catches a pass in the first half against North Carolina State Wolfpack. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Texas has all of their new toys, and the well-roundedness of the team is no secret to any team across the nation.

But there's one member of personnel that the Longhorns need to have on the field at all times, or else their gameplan plunders.

The first name that likely comes to mind would be the quarterback Manning, but the Longhorns had great depth at quarterback last year that came in handy when Arch went down with an injury, and nothing will be changing this year.

There's one receiver that Texas needs in the huddle every down this season, and it's not Cam Coleman, it's the other diamond in the rough that the Horns picked up over the offseason.

Sterling Berkhalter.

The former Wake Forest Demon Deacon has been in the shadows of the Texas transfer news, especially since Coleman made the move to Austin, but if Coleman wants to prove himself as the elite receiver many set him out to be, he needs someone to take some of the pressure off of his side of the gridiron.

Berkhalter may be taking more of a backseat role in the depth chart, but his speed is palpable, and the stats may not have been there for him at Wake Forest, but opposing defenses had trouble keeping up with him.

And this is the exact kind of distraction that Coleman needs to show off his own ability, even as skilled as he is.

The threat of Berkhalter's speed forces secondaries to keep an eye on him at all times, not allowing a double team on his all-conference teammate.

Berkhalter goes down? All of the attention goes back to Coleman, and the offense struggles.

Arch Manning going down would be costly, but if Berkhalter or either of the key receivers gets injured, Steve Sarkisian has almost no time to draw up a new gameplan.

Let's just hope it never comes to that in the 2026 season.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.