By Chris Marler
We continue our SEC transfer portal report cards from around the league. Today we look at what Texas and the incredible haul that Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns brought in.
Numbers to Know
- Players Loss: 23
- Players Gained: 19
- On3 Ranking: No. 10
- 247Sports Ranking: No. 3
Headliner – WR Cam Coleman (from Auburn)
Coleman is a former five-star and one of the most gifted wide receivers in the country. Coleman was going to be one of the most sought after players in the portal no matter what happened with the coaching change.
The price tag that came with him was going to be the big question. During the season it was speculated that Coleman would garner an NIL package in the range of $3 million if he chose to enter the portal. Once he did, sources around LSU said the asking price was $3.5 million and sources around Auburn said they offered $3.3 million with incentives that could make the deal reach up to $4 million. He ultimately chose Texas and will be a weapon for the Longhorns.
We get Jeremiah Smith vs Cam Coleman this September in Austin 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KIJK7aiHi8
— Won’t Delete This Until OU Scores (@Doc_Texas) January 12, 2026
Biggest Loss – WR Parker Livingstone (to Oklahoma)
I don’t want to discount this loss, but I do feel strongly that if Sarkisian and company wanted to keep him they would have. Still, Livingstone was the third most productive wideout for Texas in 2025 with 29 receptions and 517 yards. His 17.8 yards per reception led the team, and his six touchdowns were second. The reason why he’s here isn’t any of those reasons, though. He’s here because he has three years of eligibility left and will be spending at least the first one at Texas’ biggest rival Oklahoma.
#Sooners newest WR Parker Livingstone
-Juice for days, outstanding deep threat
-Great frame and catch radius at 6’4
-Awesome after the catch ability
-Plenty physical at the catch pointThe kind of H/W/S receiver the Sooners really haven’t had outside in awhile pic.twitter.com/OoDmxn8gKU
— AJ Schulte (@AJSchulteFB) January 6, 2026
Instant Impact – RB Hollywood Smothers (from NC State)
Smothers was the No. 3 running back in the portal and the No. 31 player overall. He is the obvious choice for a number of reasons despite bringing in another great running back from the portal in Arizona State’s Raleek Brown.
Smothers is RB1, though. That especially seems the case considering the Longhorns lost five players from their running back room alone in the portal this cycle. Smothers originally committed to Alabama out of the portal but ultimately never put pen to paper and ended up in Austin.
This is a Texas offense that put up an average of 2400 yards or more in Steve Sarkisian’s first four years in Austin but finished with less than 1800 in 2025. The Longhorns had a 1,000 yard rusher in those first four years under Sark but failed to have any back over 600 yards last year. Arch Manning will be the focal point of the offense, but Sarkisian always wants a balanced attack and a run game that produces much more than they did a season ago.
Smothers averaged 5.9 yards per carry and 939 yards on the season. He averaged less than 15 carries per game in Raleigh. That will change in Austin.
New Alabama running back Hollywood Smothers:pic.twitter.com/dGjD9bzqQE
— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) January 6, 2026
Biggest Sleeper – DL Zion Williams (from LSU)
I originally wanted to put the Michigan State tight end transfer Michael Masunas here. I think he’ll be very productive in this offense, but as a top 20 player at his position it’s a little too obvious. I’m going to go way further into obscurity for my pick here and go with Williams.
Williams was only the No. 109 defensive lineman in the portal and ranked outside of the top 1,000 players overall. This may be a stretch but Williams is physically similar to former elite DT Alfred Collins from a few seasons ago. Williams is 6-foot-4 365 pounds and Collins was 6-foot-5 320. The defensive coordinator this year will be Will Muschamp and not Pete Kwiatkowski, but he could be more than just a space eater in year one for Texas.
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