Here's Where New Longhorn Rasheem Biles Ranks Among Top LBs in Texas

The DCTF Magazine ranked the newest Texas Longhorns linebacker Rasheem Biles in a surprising spot.

Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Rasheem Biles (3) warms up before the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns found themselves on the outside looking in for last season's College Football Playoff, despite beginning the year as the pre-season number one team in the country and overwhelming favorites to win the national championship.

Now the Longhorns have reloaded and revamped their defense ahead of the 2026 season. That includes bringing in transfer linebacker Rasheem Biles to fill the void left by Anthony Hill Jr., who declared for the NFL Draft.

According to Dave Campbell's Texas Football, Biles ranks as the second-ranked collegiate linebacker from the Lone Star State, trailing only Ben Roberts from the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Replacing Production

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) celebrates during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Longhorns had been a recipient of steady linebacker play from Hill, who has been the leader of the defense and a stalwart on the field, for the past three seasons. With his decision to declare for the draft, head coach Steve Sarkisian knew he would need to land an experienced linebacker out of the portal who could not just replace his ability to lead, but his production as well.

That's when they found Biles, one of the most productive linebackers in the country last season while playing for the Pittsburgh Panthers. After a slow season his freshman year in 2023, he found his stride the following year and never looked back, continuing to build on his success from the year prior.

Who are the Top 10 linebackers in Texas ahead of the 2026 college football season? 👀#GigEm | @Daymionsanford

From @CravenMike:https://t.co/uRy3woG8HA pic.twitter.com/DnK6LfIcKz

— Dave Campbell's — TexasFootball.com (@dctf) March 12, 2026

Over those two seasons, he finished with 183 total tackles, including 86 of them for solo tackles, in just 22 games. Adding to that, he finished with 32 tackles for loss, jumping from 15 to 17 from 2024 to 2025, and added 10.5 sacks during both seasons. Doubling his number of interceptions from 2024 to 2025, he showed a knack for scoring when picking off opposing quarterbacks, turning all three interceptions into touchdowns.

"The best linebacker in the transfer portal chose Texas and will be a seamless replacement for Anthony Hill Jr., who might become a first-round NFL Draft pick in April," Mike Craven said from DCTF. "Biles was a disruptive force at Pitt, ranking in the top 10 nationally in tackles for loss. Biles started nine games for the Panthers last year and was a Second-Team All-ACC selection. He returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown. "

Entering the year as the number two-ranked linebacker in the state according to DCTF is a great honor, and it's better for the Longhorns, as he landed just above the newest transfer from their rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies.

With elite talent around him for next season, though, Biles could be in for the best year of his career as he continues to show he can build off his success from the year prior. For Sarkisian and his staff, though, they have to be excited about the talent they were able to bring to the Forty Acres.