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Two-year recruiting windows and Texas' smart spending approach to the 2026 class

by:Evan Vieth•5 hours ago
Steve Sarkisian
Steve Sarkisian (Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)

It’s no secret anymore that NIL is revolutionizing how teams and players approach recruiting, opening a Pandora’s Box of behind-the-scenes negotiations and pay-for-play dynamics.

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This process has heavily aided some; Texas wouldn’t be throwing out Justus Terry on third downs next year if it didn’t use NIL to its own advantage. But as of late June 2025, it feels like there are spots where Texas is electing to dedicate more attention.

Take two skill position players as an example—Mark Bowman and KJ Edwards—two top targets for Texas heading into summer. Despite sending multiple TEs and RBs to the NFL recently, NIL spending by USC and Texas A&M — along with matching strong football and academic pitches — has these players committed elsewhere.

Recruiting today still values relationships and time spent, but there’s an aspect of it that strongly resembles NFL free agency and prioritizing where and how funds are spent.

That puts us in today’s world, one where Texas, a back-to-back CFP semi-final team that brought in the No. 1 2025 recruiting class, sits with the No. 10 class in the nation, behind teams who finished 7-6 and 8-5 last season. That feels a little off, right? Some may see this as a failure to curate impactful commitments in the summer, but now is exactly the time when Texas’ game plan is at its best.

The two-year recruiting window denotes how each cycle’s goals are loosely based on the way the team recruited last year. In 2025, Texas spent big-time dollars on two things: pass catchers and defensive backs. Seven of the top 10 recruits fit into that mold. Of course, there were multiple other difference-makers added to that class like the aforementioned Terry.

So with that in mind, where has Texas focused in 2026? The key positions that it most missed out on in terms of major star power in 2025.

That starts at QB and OL. Texas hit a home run with Dia Bell. He’s going to end up being the No. 1 QB in this class and is locked in to be a Horn. Texas diagnosed a need early, made a fantastic evaluation, and will be bringing in a future star.

Next, it’s in the trenches. No player has been prioritized more this spring and summer than five-star Felix Ojo. These past two weekends of official visits have shown Texas’ demand for those positions. John Turntine just had his best weekend yet in Austin, and the Longhorns are still going after two other blue-chip tackles in this class while already having two offensive linemen committed.

Lastly, the Longhorns are going to be able to spend at one more spot. What’s the most important position on the field that hasn’t been addressed heavily in the last two cycles? Defensive line.

While Texas knocked it out of the park with Lance Jackson and Terry last class, the Longhorns wanted volume and high-level production in this one. Kenny Baker already has three defensive tackles, with a fourth likely on the way. Texas just secured an out-of-nowhere signing of Richard Wesley, arguably the best pass rusher in this class. Credit to LaAllan Clark there, who may not be through.

All the while, Texas has not been ignoring WR and DB; they’ve just been making calculated spends on high-upside players. No one is more locked into the Longhorns than Chris Stewart. Jermaine Bishop Jr. is a culture fit from day one and was a great early take. There’s a ton of DB upside with Yaheim Riley and Hayward Howard.

The thing is that Texas doesn’t need pass catchers this class like it needs these other positions. The players that Bell will be throwing to in his time at Texas are likely already on campus, and that extends into RB as well. But the players that would be blocking for them probably weren’t. If all goes right, Bell may see two or three starting offensive linemen come from the same class during his time as a starter in Austin.

So while it may be frustrating to lose out on WR recruits that seem enticing or a home run player at TE or RB, remember what actually wins championships. There’s a reason the NFL drafts QBs, OTs, EDGE players, and WRs higher than anything else—they’re what wins football games.

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Texas knows what it needs to build a championship team after Arch Manning is gone, and the economics going into this class are being held with extreme thought and care. When the Longhorns want to spend their money, they will, and Wesley isn’t going to be the last big name at a key position that makes his way to Austin this cycle.

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