Since Steve Sarkisian took over as head coach in 2021, the Texas Longhorns have established themselves as one of the top programs in college football—and they show no signs of slowing down. On3’s J.D. PicKell believes it’s only a matter of time before Sarkisian leads Texas to a national championship. After guiding the Longhorns to consecutive College Football Playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024, Sarkisian has also excelled in recruiting and the transfer portal. This season, Texas boasts the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class, featuring commitments from nine of the top 100 prospects, including four five-star recruits, according to 247Sports.
Manning showed up for some key moments throughout the season last year, and he has arguably one of the best wide receiver groups in the country to throw to, headlined by five-star recruit Kaliq Lockett. With the growing importance of NIL in the college athletics space, Texas, as well as other big schools, could be accused of “buying” their top talent. According to Pickell, though, Texas should have no regrets. He supports schools spending money on the best recruits, saying “if a #1 ranked class translates to a national title in two years, you do that ten times out of ten.”
If Texas and Steve Sarkisian make their third consecutive College Football Playoff appearance and secure a national championship, their highly talented recruiting class could play a crucial role in their success.