This offseason will get the hype train underway for the Arch Manning era for the Texas football program. The sophomore quarterback will bring constant national coverage and hype, along with a tremendous deep ball and raw talent at the signal-caller position, for Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian entering the 2025 season.
Texas football's offense undergoing a facelift under Steve Sarkisian upon the Arch Manning era beginning for 2025
Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers declared earlier this week for the 2025 NFL Draft. The end of the Ewers era at Texas also signals a number of other key starters on the offensive side of the ball that the Longhorns must replace this offseason.
Texas also lost junior starting wide receivers Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond, leading tight end Gunnar Helm, and multiple starting offensive linemen to the 2025 NFL Draft.
That's not to say that the Longhorns don't have a plethora of other talented players at the skill positions and along the offensive line to replace what they're losing this offseason for 2025.
Here are three skill players who could be the top receivers for Manning as he takes over the starting reigns for the offense at Texas for the 2025 season.
Aaron Butler
This past season, freshman wide receivers Aaron Butler, Parker Livingstone, and Freddie Dubose Jr. all took redshirts. Butler and Livingstone are expected to step up in bigger roles as contributors for the Texas offense in 2025.
Butler is my pick to be Texas's breakout player among the returning wide receivers for the 2025 season. His speed and elusiveness in the open field, and experience getting to learn the offense in practice in his first year in college last fall, makes Butler a unique weapon who could get more reps out of the slot at receiver next fall.
The combination of Butler's speed and agility when he gets the ball out in space along with Manning's deep ball and off-script ability could be a fun connection to watch for the Longhorns in 2025.