Texas’s College Football Playoff hopes are hanging by a thread at 9-3, but a 27-17 win over No. 3 Texas A&M on Friday in Austin, the Longhorns are still alive. With frustration simmering throughout the fanbase this season, that win was exactly what Steve Sarkisian needed on the field, then he turned around and got the win he needed off it.
On Friday morning, Texas earned a commitment from 2027 five-star wide receiver Easton Royal from New Orleans, Louisiana. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound wideout is the 12th-ranked player in the country according to 247Sports Composite and is Texas’s first commit in the 2026 class.
BREAKING: Five-Star WR Easton Royal has Committed to Texas, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 29, 2025
The 5’11 195 WR from New Orleans, LA chose the Longhorns over LSU, Ole Miss, & Oregon
He’s the No. 1 WR in the ‘27 Class (per Rivals)
“Why not Texas?!! #HookEm”https://t.co/YyHkgx8rS7 pic.twitter.com/k5IQzJwUEF
Texas lands commitment from 2027 5-star WR Easton Royal
Texas has a clear succession plan behind Arch Manning, who was fantastic in the second half against the Aggies, but is likely still returning for his redshirt junior season in Austin. Once Manning moves on to fulfill his NFL destiny, Sarkisian is prepared to hand the reins to another five-star quarterback with an athletic legacy, Dia Bell.
The son of former NBA player Raja Bell, Dia is the No. 4 QB recruit in the 2026 class and the ninth-ranked player in the country according to 247Sports Composite. Now, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida product will have another weapon to throw to when he inevitably replaces Manning behind center in Sarkisian’s offense.
He has the potential to be a No. 1 wide receiver, something that Texas has been somewhat lacking this season. 2024 five-star Ryan Wingo has filled that role and is an explosive downfield threat, but he doesn’t have the most reliable hands to be the high-volume pass-catcher that Texas needs.
Next season, Wingo should have a running mate in 2025 five-star Kaliq Lockett, who has been brought along slowly in his true freshman season with just three catches on four targets for 12 yards. Eventually, Lockett and Royal will have a chance to be one of the better pass-catching tandems in the country.
Royal also provides the Longhorns with a foundational piece in the 2027 recruiting class. Sarkisian doesn’t tend to dip into the transfer portal much, so it’s paramount that he leverages Texas’s financial resources to land elite high school recruiting classes year after year.
Texas’s 2025 class ranked No. 1 in the country, and with early signing day less than a week away, its 2026 group ranks No. 8.