Despite what Cam Newton believes, the recruiting wins continue to roll in for the Texas Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian. Most recently, four-star defensive line prospect Darryus McKinley included the Horns within his final four schools.
McKinley, who is in the class of 2026, listed Texas alongside the Florida Gators, LSU Tigers, and Tennessee Volunteers. The Louisiana native is the No. 40 defensive lineman in the nation and the No. 11 overall athlete in the state.
The defensive line prospect has 16 offers from programs across the country and had yet to express any specific interest in a team until now. McKinley has yet to schedule any official visits with his final four schools.
During his sophomore season (2023), McKinley recorded 50 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, and 11 quarterback hurries. He led his high school team to an 11-3 overall record and a Louisiana Division I Select state runner-up finish.
McKinley is 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds but can reportedly move well and has quick hands, which have boosted his rating, which 247Sports lists as an 89 composite. His older brother, Dominick McKinley, was a five-star defensive lineman in the class of 2024 and signed with the LSU Tigers, where he still plays.
Sarkisian and the Horns have the No. 1 overall recruiting class of 2025 but just the No. 10 recruiting class in 2026, with just three prospects committed to Texas so far. Currently, the USC Trojans have the No. 1 class of 2026 recruits, followed by the Oregon Ducks and then LSU.