These 5 Freshmen Could Have an Immediate Impact with The Texas Longhorns in 2026

With an “all-in” season looming ahead for the Texas Longhorns comes rebuild mode. The transfer portal gave Texas a considerable advantage in pulling experienced players to Austin, but the main mission of the program hasn’t changed: development.

High school recruits still remain one of the most vital aspects to the game, despite the transfer portal taking up most of the news circulating the college football community since it opened Jan. 2.

With the No. 8 recruiting class in the country, Texas is loaded with fresh talent on the Forty Acres.

The 5 to Follow in this Freshman Class

Tyler Atkinson

Five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson is an immediate game-changer for a Texas defense that is losing several notable players to the draft. However, the Longhorns’ interior remains solid with returning veterans like TK Colin Simmons and TK, giving Atkinson the chance to spend his rookie year on the field with experienced guys to guide him.

6-foot-2, 205-pound Atkinson isn’t just notable for his size, speed or agility. He’s a highly-sought recruit for his instincts, changing direction and charging toward the ball in a split second no matter the play.

“Flies around the field like a man possessed,” On3 scout Charles Power wrote in his report on Atkinson.

His junior season, Atkinson logged a total of 166 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and one interception throughout 15 games. Atkinson will need to bulk up in order to match the physicality of a typical SEC lineman, but has all winter and spring offseason to do so after arriving on campus.

Jermaine Bishop Jr.

Jermaine Bishop Jr. is a multi-purpose player in every sense of the word. The four-star recruit is listed as an “athlete” in his On3 profile and shows versatility on every side of the ball, making him an interesting project for head coach Steve Sarkisian and Co.

Playing safety, running back and at multiple receiver positions — including wideout and slot — Bishop stands at 5-foot-11 and 155 pounds, yet is as dangerous a threat with the ball in his hands as any. As a multi-sport athlete in high school, his best play comes after the catch, in which he maximizes his explosiveness in separating from defenders with 18.9 yards per catch his junior season in 2024. As a corner and punt/kick returner this past season, he scored six returning touchdowns off of picks and returns.

“At the forefront of the discussion for the best pure football player in the 2026 class. Embodies the player-over-athlete argument as a high-major impact player who could become an early-round NFL Draft candidate,” Gabe Brooks, a 247 scout, reported in his early summary of Bishop’s last high school season.

Richard Wesley

Four-star edge Richard Wesley won’t take as much time to develop over the spring, standing at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds in his final physical before heading to Austin. Before reclassifying to the 2026 class, Wesley was a top-five recruit in the 2027 class as one of the best edge recruits to come out of California.

With 44 tackles, nine sacks, eight quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles during his 2024 season, Wesley is dominant on the defensive side of the ball — especially in terms of pass-rush. Even so, he’s quick on run coverage and has the ability to smother the physical SEC backs that he will be facing this upcoming season.

Wesley has frequently been compared to New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, who also came out of California to play for Oregon. Thibodeux totaled for 126 tackles and 19 sacks over the course of his career with the Ducks, ending up with the Giants as the 5th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. In terms of size and play style, Wesley and Thibodeux are extremely comparable — which makes him one of the most exciting prospects of the 2026 class.

Derrek Cooper

Five-star Derrek Cooper is joining a running back room that features some of the best backs to come out of the transfer portal — Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown and NC State transfer Hollywood Smothers. But at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Cooper has the frame of the tough, physical running back that head coach Steve Sarkisian seems to be trying to establish in his program that formerly featured smaller, more agile backs.

Cooper is notorious for slamming his way through defenders, running with a physicality that allows him to be productive even without a strong o-line forcing opportunities for him to find his way through a line.

During his junior season in 2024, Cooper ran for 905 yards on 124 carries, getting snaps at running back, linebacker and safety. In his recent Under Armor All-America game, Cooper ran for just 12 yards on four carries, but also showcased his ability to make plays downfield with a catch for 31 yards.

Samari Matthews

North Carolina corner Samari Matthews is one of the more physically dominant corners that Texas will utilize downfield, standing at 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds. The four-star is projected as a multi-year starting project with pro potential.

Matthews’ best trait, in addition to his size and agility, is his physicality. He’s scrappy and tough, doesn’t hesitate to rough up his targets and cleanly breaks up passes, blocking skillfully through hands when a ball does happen to come his way. He doesn’t log very much production in terms of pick —, but that may be because his coverage is so thorough and he doesn’t get many passes thrown his way.