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Hoops to start most talented team ever at Texas? The Texas Longhorns have assembled something never seen on the Forty Acres in basketball headed into the 2026-27 season. Sean Miller and staff are set to start five future NBA Draft picks this season. That's something Texas has never come close to. OTF takes a look at the Texas Longhorns expected starting lineup, along with some player comparisons and future draft pick projections. And we will also look at some past starting lineups to illustrate just how talented this team will be. Texas 2026-27 expected starting lineup Isaiah Johnson, lead guard/PG, 6-1, sophomore - 1st round pick in 2027 or 2028 draft.…

The 2026 NFL Draft won’t break records for Texas, but a handful of Longhorns are expected to be selected in the coming days — a feat that shouldn’t be taken for granted considering that after this year’s draft the Longhorns will have had more players taken in the last four years than Texas had from 2011-2021 combined (31 if you were wondering). Depending on how this year shapes up, UT will have produced 33-35 or so pros. In the last two drafts alone, Texas has broken program records for players selected — 11 in 2024 followed by 12 in 2025. And not to get ahead of ourselves, but looking at 2027, it almost feels like a certainty that a program record will be br…

I'm curious... If you were at the spring scrimmage, what did you think? What were your major takeaways? ** Here are a few of mine: 1. Defensive depth on the interior and at edge. When Maraad Watson and Josiah Sharma are back-ups, you're extremely talented up front. Lance Jackson, just a sophomore, is a possible first-round pick to pair with Colin Simmons and Zina Umeozulu. 2. As expected, Muschamp likes to play a smothering style of defense compared to Pete Kwiatkowski who liked to keep everything in front of him. 3. Derrek Cooper and Jermaine Bishop are ready to play right away as true freshmen. 4. Every portal transfer i…

Four-star safety Semaj Stanford out of Broken Arrow (Okla.) will announce his college commitment on Thursday afternoon, deciding between Texas, Georgia, and Oregon. (there was some confusion on the decision date, but it is indeed April 23rd) Throughout the last few weeks there's been buzz around Texas, but as we've noted on OTF, things have gotten quieter as decision day approaches. I noted on Tuesday to keep your head on a swivel here, particularly with Oregon. Well, checking in with a source close to the recruitment on Wednesday morning, the buzz has seemed to shift from quietly optimistic on UT's end to unsure. That makes me think the Ducks are making a mov…

While Anthony Hill will likely be picked in the top two rounds of this year’s NFL draft and four or five other Longhorns will eventually join him in being selected, it’s the 2027 draft that appears loaded for Texas. A year from today, the number is potentially astounding. Here are the draft eligible players of note for 2027: Arch Manning Hollywood Smothers Raleek Brown Cam Coleman Ryan Wingo Emmett Mosley V Michael Masunas Trevor Goosby Melvin Siani Brandon Baker Alex January Hero Kanu Maraad Watson Ian Geffrard Colin Simmons Zina Umeozulu Rasheem Biles Brad Spence Ty’…

Monday Recruiting: Weekend returns The Texas Longhorns hosted a number of visitors over the last week of spring practice and the spring practice showcase Saturday. OnTexasFootball brings the latest news and notes we have compiled. Noah Roberts The Chandler (Az.) Basha 4-star+ running back was on campus this weekend with his family. Texas sits in a solid spot, but Michigan is right there. An OV to Oregon is also on the books. OTF take: Texas is a slight leader here, but NIL will definitely play a factor. Brock Williams The 4-star++ tight out out of Illinois is a solid Texas lean over Georgia, with Ohio State running a distant third. As muc…

The transfer portal is open for basketball and will run through April 21. The Texas Longhorns are coming off momentous finish to Sean Miler’s first season on the Forty Acres, reaching the Sweet 16 and nearly clinching a berth in the Elite Eight. There’s optimism about the direction of Texas men’s basketball and that energy should carry into the transfer portal as Miller and his staff build out their Year 2 roster. In case you missed it, OTF’s Gerry Hamilton has a complete portal thread going on the OTF message board, including Texas’ needs and the latest buzz around the program going into portal season. Here, OTF keeps track of the Longhorns’ roster as t…

One Thing I Learned About Every Player on Defense This Spring *** Similar to the post yesterday about the offensive players, I wanted to do the same about the guys on defense. As we all expect, this should be a unit that is very talented and with Will Muschamp at the helm, it could turn into one of the better units in the country given the pieces to be aggressive. *** Defensive Line Ian Geffrard – Absolutely massive human. While he won't be a sack master, he will be a challenge for centers one on one in pass protection. Will be a boulder in short distance run support as well. Hero Kanu – Will be a draft pick after the 2026 season, and now tha…

Thursday Recruiting: Updates on some key defensive targets The Texas staff is on the road this week with stops both in-state and out of state. While each coach has a limited number of days on the road, the days will be spread out and used from this week through most of May. This morning, OTF provides the latest on two top defensive targets and an update on where cornerback recruiting is entering May. Defensive recruitments of note... Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern 4-star inside linebacker Joakim Gouda is shaping up as a Texas vs. Georgia battle. Texas hosted the 6-1, 225-pounder twice this spring and has a June 12-14 OV on the books. The recruitment i…

Wanted to try a new article out for the conclusion of the spring season. One thing I know based off of the spring *** Quarterbacks Arch Manning – Texas' QB1 said he was "100%" and fully healthy during the final week of the spring. He will be a full go for the summer months. KJ Lacey – There remains plenty to learn from Lacey from a progression standpoint and making the correct reads, but AJ Milwee said it best: When Lacey is on the field, the ball just moves. Dia Bell – It was a promising spring for Bell, who mechanically is very sound. Had several visitors for practice mention he had the best day of practice amongst the QBs several times. …

Easton Royal, 5-star WR, New Orleans (La.) Brother Martin Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 200 pounds Ranking: No. 2 wide receiver, No. 10 overall player in the country, per the Rivals Industry Ranking Committed to Texas: 11/29/2025 Chose Texas over: LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and others Official visits: LSU (May 29-31), Tennessee (June 5-7), Florida (June 12-14), Texas (June 19-21) Cam Hall, 4-star EDGE, Arlington (Texas) Mansfield Summit Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 235 pounds Ranking: No. 16 EDGE, 142 overall player, per the Rivals Industry Ranking Committed to Texas: 01/28/2026 Chose Texas over: LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma…

2027 Don Bosco Prep (NJ) LB Sets Texas Official Visit *** Texas has a new linebacker on the books for the Official Visit weekends in June. Mikahi Allen, a 6-foot-1-inch, 220-pound linebacker out of Ramsey, New Jersey told OTF this morning he has locked in an official visit to Texas for the weekend of June 19. The Longhorns have been in communication with Allen for well over a month and come to an agreement on the OV date. Texas offered back in January while the coaching staff was out on the road. According to the Composite, Allen is the No. 15 linebacker in the country and a top-200 prospect for the class of 2027. Official Visit Schedu…

Jeff published an OTF post-spring depth chart. I wanted to take a deeper look at how perceptions changed from prior to spring ball to today. We’ll start with the offense. Quarterback With Arch Manning sidelined most of spring, KJ Lacey was the lead engineer of the offense in scrimmage settings. Lacey proved a more than capable back-up. The real movement came down the depth chart. Texas had likely hoped that MJ Morris, the Coastal Carolina transfer, would do enough to be an unquestioned third stringer behind Manning and Lacey, allowing Dia Bell to redshirt no matter what. I’m not sure Morris did enough to accomplish that. Instead, Bell performed be…

Ask OTF anything Tuesday It's that time weekly. Ask OTF anything ... football, recruiting, hoops, recruiting, etc... View full news story

John Meredith III Update Wanted to bring the OTF community the latest on 5-star cornerback John Meredith III (Fort Worth/North Crowley) following his visit to Texas late last week. OTF believes Texas is the team to beat. Period. Does that mean it's a for sure for the Longhorns? Not in the NIL era. What OTF also believes is Texas leads Alabama. Those are the top two. Everyone else is distant third and fourth. The near 6-foot-3, 178-pound lock down corner will make his official visit to Alabama the last weekend in May, with Texas the following weekend. Also on the possible OV schedule is Texas A&M June 12-14 and Ohio State June 19-21. …

AUSTIN, Texas — Four-star running back Noah Roberts made the trip from Chandler (Ariz.) Basha to Texas for the second time in two months last Saturday. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound back is shaping up as one of the Longhorns’ top priorities at the position. “I’d say today I liked the spring practice and how they used the running backs,” Roberts said. “I liked that. How we saw Derrek (Cooper) get out there as a freshman and do what he do today. That was a good sign.” Jabbar Juluke spent several hours after the practice concluded with Roberts and his family. “Come in here and be ready to play Day 1,” Roberts recalled from their conversation. “I need to be …

The 2026 NFL Draft begins on Thursday (7 p.m. CT/ABC/ESPN/NFL Network), and Texas will once again be represented among the best of the best. While it won’t be a program record breaking year for the Longhorns, Texas will still have a handful of players selected. Here’s ESPN’s Jordan Reid’s latest mock draft as it relates to where he has Longhorns slotted. ROUND 2 No. 56 — LB Anthony Hill Jr. — Jaguars REID: “Linebacker is at the top of Jacksonville's needs list, especially with Devin Lloyd departing in free agency. Hill is an aggressive and urgent mover who loves to strike on contact.” ROUND 3 No. 96 — CB Malik Muhammad — Seahawks R…

Texas Hosts 2028 Five-Star TE Tytan McNeal *** A late visitor to the week ends up being a big one. 2028 five-star tight end Tytan McNeal out of Eastside Catholic in Sammamish, Washington was on campus Monday evening meeting with Steve Sarkisian, Jeff Banks and the Texas staff. McNeal, a 6-foot-5-inch, 210-pound prospect, holds 25 offers and is the No. 25 player in the country per the composite ranking. Texas offered March 12th. View full news story

Who Made it to The 40 Acres this Weekend? *** A quick recap of notable prospects who made it to campus for the Longhorns Spring Game and Fan Fest on Saturday: -- Offered Prospects Isaiah Taylor, CB, Keller (Texas) Central High 6-foot-2-inch corner prospect who doubles as the quarterback for Keller Central received an offer on the trip to Austin from Mark Orphey. Texas will be in high contention for this one. Jeremiah Taylor, WR, Keller (Texas) Central High The twin brother of Isaiah Taylor, Jeremiah was offered by Chris Jackson on the trip. Taylor logged an 11.09 100m this spring at 6-foot-3. He holds 7 offers with the Longho…

BOOM: Texas lands explosive G/F Elyjah Freeman Sean Miller and the Texas staff just went to another level. Auburn transfer wing and 2027 NBA draft prospect Elyjah Freeman announced he has committed to the Texas Longhorns over Miami, Kentucky, Auburn and a host of others. The 6-foot-8, 185-pound ultra athletic wing/forward transferred to Auburn from DII Lincoln Memorial prior to the 2025-26 season. He made an instant impact for the Tigers in the big move up to SEC basketball. Freeman averaged 9.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 38 games, including 21 starts. Along with spending plenty of time above the rim making wow plays, he surpassed expec…

AUSTIN, Texas — Five-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou returned to the Forty Acres on Saturday, opting for a return trip to Austin instead of Michigan. The last time he was in town was for UT’s win over Texas A&M in November. “This trip I think (what) stood out to me was being able to connect with the D-end’s coach (LaAllan Clark),” Fakatou told OTF. “Because when I came last year I was like 310 pounds, so I was seen as a D-tackle. But I was playing edge at high school. That’s what I want to play when I go to college. Coming here and being able to connect with him was something special to me.” Right now Fakatou stands at 6-foot-7, 275 pounds. Texas sees…

AUSTIN, Texas — The entire OnTexasFootball crew was on hand for Texas’ open practice to close out spring football on Saturday. Here’s each of our biggest takeaways from what we saw. Bobby Burton The Texas defensive line is beyond deep - at tackle, end and edge. The group reminds me of the Georgia and Alabama defenses we’re accustomed to seeing. Texas goes three deep at every position and they have young guys who are potential future stars. On the interior, you have to not only love the addition of Ian Geffrard but we’re also witnessing the development of Josiah Sharma and Myron Charles. Then you have Alex January, Maraad Watson and Hero Kanu as the old gua…

Who Was Active in the Spring Game? *** Inactive list: WR Kaliq Lockett OL Kaden Scherer OL Jackson Christian DL James Johnson DL Justus Terry CB Warren Roberson DB Jonah Williams Limited QB Arch Manning - no live action QB Dia Bell LB TyAnthony Smith DB Xavier Filsaime – Dia Bell left the facility in a heavy boot on his left leg. He suffered what is believed to be a minor injury this past week in practice. – From what I gather, there were no injuries – or nothing of significance – from the afternoon practice session. Texas did a fantastic job keeping priority cont…

My single biggest takeaway from yesterday was the central theme of what I had been hearing behind the scenes. Texas is extremely talented headed into 2026. We watched a Texas squad yesterday virtually without Arch Manning, Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo, Trevor Goosby, Colin Simmons, Ty’Anthony Smith, Xavier Filsaime and Zina Umeozulu. That’s eight future NFL players who were on the sideline. Yet Texas still looked talented. In particular, the rotation on the defensive line bordered on the ridiculous. It looked like something Georgia or an Saban-led Alabama team would put on the field. Then there were was Jermaine Bishop. He is clearly a differ…

AUSTIN, Texas — The OTF crew spent the day on campus taking in the final Texas spring practice, as well as catching up with recruits. Here's some quick hitters that we uncovered. Gerry Hamilton contributed to this report Marcus Fakatou, 4-star DL, Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon Texas entered the day in Fakatou’s top eight, and ended the day in his top three, he told OTF. The Sierra Canyon product journeyed up to the UT Co-Op to buy some Texas gear, including a Bevo stuffed animal and a beanie. He said there’s nothing to read into that other than getting some cold weather gear. A combination of Oregon, Michigan, and Ohio State round out the top three. W…