Texas is still chasing wins in the present, but the real storm cloud over Austin sits in April. Multiple outlets already have the Longhorns in Tier 1 for 2026 NFL Draft talent, and one list of fifteen potential early entries starts with the same three names every Texas fan circles first: Arch Manning, Anthony Hill Jr., and Trevor Goosby.

Arch Manning’s decision will define the offense

Manning is the headline. Through ten games in 2025 he has thrown for 2,374 yards with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions, completing 62.7 percent of his passes, with six more scores on the ground. He just stacked his best stretch of ball at Texas, rallying the Longhorns past Mississippi State with 346 passing yards and three touchdowns, then ripping Vanderbilt for 328 yards and three more scores to revive his draft stock.

This is exactly the version of Arch scouts expected when they labeled him a future first-rounder, a 6 foot 4 quarterback with clean mechanics and NFL bloodlines. If he keeps trending up through the SEC gauntlet, it is hard to imagine front offices telling him to wait. A 2026 exit would leave Texas replacing both its scheme centerpiece and its marketing engine in one hit.

Anthony Hill Jr. looks like a Sunday linebacker

If Manning is the face, Hill is the heartbeat. The junior linebacker has piled up 69 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two interceptions and three forced fumbles through ten games, flying sideline to sideline at 6 foot 3 and 238 pounds.

Draft writers already tag him as a high end 2026 prospect, even in early looks that slot him as a Day 2 lock with room to climb. Losing Hill would rip the green dot off Texas’ defense and force Steve Sarkisian to replace a three down playmaker who can rush, cover and finish in the alley.

Trevor Goosby is the blindside test

Goosby is not as flashy, but NFL people notice 6-foot-7 left tackles who start every week in the SEC. The redshirt sophomore has taken over Kelvin Banks Jr.’s old job and has started at left tackle in all nine games this season. Sarkisian has publicly praised his development, pointing to a frame that has grown from 270 pounds to just under 320 while keeping the athleticism to handle edge speed and the temperament to lead the room.

If Goosby jumps early with Manning and Hill, Texas walks into 2026 without its quarterback, defensive centerpiece, and blindside protector. That is the kind of triple hit that forces a program to lean hard on the portal and on the next wave of blue-chip recruits already on the depth chart.

The good news is Texas has recruited like a playoff program and just sent 12 players to the league last spring. The bad news is that kind of success cuts both ways. If these three make the jump in 2026, the Longhorns will still have talent. They will just look very different, very fast.

Texas Longhorns News

Texas flips versatile TE to end difficult recruiting cycle

Head Coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns staff secured a crucial commitment by flipping three-star tight end Charlie Jilek from Minnesota, injecting much-needed talent into the 2026 class ahead of the season’s biggest matchup.

Nick Wright