Five "stock up" Texas Longhorns ready to make an impact this season

One thing we’ve frequently discussed in August is how deep the 2025 Texas Longhorns are, particularly on defense. While it’s true that the starters are largely set, pretty much on both sides of the ball, there is a lot of younger talent pushing for snaps. For a staff that likes to rotate bodies so players not only stay fresh within games but also healthy throughout the long season, that’s music to their ears.

We’ve also shared sentiment from a source stating “a lot of guys are going to play a lot” and Steve Sarkisian recently said he has 15-16 “starter-types” on defense. A couple of those guys will make this list.

These are guys we’re hearing noise about in August.

Ty’Anthony Smith, Linebacker, Sophomore

Anthony Hill, The Man at linebacker, raved about Smith’s physicality, stating, “Since he is a little more slender, he has to be more physical than everyone else. He has to bring a little bit more on every pop. He’s been doing a good job on that and working that.”

While he is still slender, he has put on muscle. Our sources rave about his “East Texas toughness and work ethic.” He’s also good in coverage and knows how to find ball carriers in the run game. He is on track to become a complete, difference-making defender.

Expectations for this season: His drive and football disposition has him competing with Liona Lefau at Will and also backing up Trey Moore at Sam. While we expect Lefau to start, we still believe Smith will make noise this season as his snap count increases.

Kaliq Lockett, Wide Receiver, Freshman

We’ve mentioned Daylan McCutcheon so much since he arrived in January it’s fair to say his stock is already up with IT readers. This month, his 2025 classmate is making noise along with him. Like McCutcheon, Lockett is more polished than most freshmen. He had a big touchdown on a double move in the last scrimmage. He’s always had the length and ball skills to make plays over DB’s. I know a certain quarterback who will like that trait.

Expectations for this season: Ryan Wingo and Parker Livingstone (his stock was up in the spring) are the starters at outside receiver but Lockett is taking advantage of the absence of Emmett Mosley. Sark doesn’t like to rotate his receivers all that much but he’s becoming more comfortable with the idea of playing Lockett. He’s already comfortable with playing McCutcheon.

Kobe Black, Cornerback, Sophomore

Black didn’t play a lot as a freshman but he did flash in his limited snaps. His stock has been up since the spring where he demonstrated better-than-ever movement skills thanks to leaning up a little. You can find guys who move better but they typically don’t have his size, length, and physicality.

Expectations for this season: I expect Jaylon Guilbeau to get the first chance to replace the sizable shoes left by Jahdae Barron but it wouldn’t surprise me if Black played pretty equal snaps or perhaps became the starter as the season wears on.

Christian Clark, Running Back, Freshman & CJ Baxter, Running Back, Sophomore

These two are in a similar boat, having both lost last season to injury. They rehabbed together and now they’re competing for snaps, along with junior Tre Wisner. I still have no idea how everything is going to shake out, I just know that Texas coaches couldn’t have asked for a better outcome than what they’ve seen from the two after such serious injuries last August.

Expectations for the season: I think Wisner will be the lead back against Ohio State but Baxter will play as well. It’s also possible Clark will get touches in that game, though it was instructive that Sark said he’s just entering his freshman year now. That’s something we’ve mentioned as a detriment to Clark—he still has zero in-game experience. But he’s the most dynamic running back on the roster and pretty much everyone knows it.