It's no secret that Steve Sarkisian is going to have tons of top-notch football players in 2026, but four guys in particular made it onto On3's list of the top 25 college football players heading into the new season.
Arch Manning, Cam Coleman, Trevor Goosby, and Colin Simmons are all some of the top overall players at their respective positions heading into 2026, and a couple of other Longhorns could end the year in the top 25 as well.
Four Longhorns made On3’s top 25 players list in CFB, the most by any team in the country
— Orangebloods.com (@orangebloods_) May 25, 2026
#6 - Colin Simmons
#7 - Cam Coleman
#10 - Arch Manning
#13 Trevor Goosby pic.twitter.com/9zt78lNLWX
On3 isn't afraid of a Texas-heavy top 25
Arch Manning is somehow not the top-ranked quarterback heading into the season, but that's an argument for another time. His ability to punish defenses with both his arm and his legs makes him one of the most dangerous players in the entire league, and this year, he won't have to do everything himself. The additions of Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers at running back, along with a revamped offensive line, should allow him to find open receivers downfield a lot more often in 2026.
Cam Coleman gives Arch an astronomically explosive playmaker to get the ball to, and his presence will force defenses to respect the passing game each and every play. Not only will he most likely be one of the top pass-catchers in 2026 from a statistical standpoint, but he'll undoubtedly open things up for Texas' run game as well.
Trevor Goosby would've most likely been a first-round pick in April's NFL Draft had he declared, but luckily for the Longhorns, he decided to return for the 2026 season. Goosby heads into the year as one of the top-ranked left tackles in football, and Steve Sarkisian is incredibly relieved to have him protecting the blindside of Arch Manning in what should be both Goosby's and Manning's final season at Texas.
Much like Manning at quarterback, Colin Simmons is pretty much the face of the defensive end position in college football alongside South Carolina's Dylan Stewart. Simmons has the ability to completely shut down an opposing offense, especially the passing game, with his teleportation-like movement skills. Very few pass rushers can move around like Simmons can, and many believe that he could be a top 5-lock in the 2027 NFL Draft with a good showing in the 2026 season.
All four of these players are going to take the college football world by storm in 2026, and other Longhorns like Jelani McDonald and Rasheem Biles could certainly crack the top 25-30 list by December.
Making the college football playoffs in 2026/2027 is not only a "goal", but it's an expectation for one of Steve Sarkisian's most talented rosters in team history.
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