In what could end up being Texas football's most impactful move of the 2026 offseason, they were able to lock up the top player available at an enormous position of need.
It's safe to say that Steve Sarkisian and Will Muschamp were elated when former Pittsburgh linebacker Rasheem Biles announced him commitment to Texas last night, spurning Ohio State, Michigan, and Florida State.
Biles was not only the top-ranked linebacker in the portal, but one of the top overall prospects as well.
Texas has landed a commitment from coveted Pittsburgh linebacker transfer Rasheem Biles, sources tell me and @chris_hummer.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 11, 2026
Was an All-ACC selection this season. He led the ACC with 17 tackles for loss. Also finished with 101 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two pick-sixes. pic.twitter.com/kP3QCuiIDz
Biles is a perfect fit at MIKE for Texas' new defense under Muschamp in 2026. Though he only has one season of eligibility left, Biles will undoubtedly elevate the play of everyone around him similar to how Anthony Hill Jr. did in a huge year for Texas football.
The former ACC linebacker is the definition of a playmaker, as he scored three defensive touchdowns (two pick-sixes and one scoop-n-score) in 2025 and was an asset against both the run and pass.
Texas just got the #1 LB in the Portal!
— Orangebloods.com (@orangebloods_) January 11, 2026
Rasheem Biles is going to be a MONSTER for the Longhorns! 👀 pic.twitter.com/l2QrhQ8U9R
His ability to consistently play the "track and smack" role as a run defender, and the swift-footed "ghost" role in coverage gives him the potential to be one of the SEC's top defenders next season.
Biles' smooth processing skills allows him to constantly be in the right place, and he very rarely bites on play-action in the run game. He's shown that he's not easy to fool and he's able to sift through traffic and bounce off blockers to meet ball-carriers at or near the line of scrimmage more often than not. His 17.5 tackles for loss in 2025 was ranked 2nd amongst FBS linebackers, and his 1.7 per game ranked No.1.
Similar to Anthony Hill Jr.'s skillset, Biles can also be effective as a blitzer from time to time. This will undoubtedly come in handy when Muschamp dials up some of his go-to pressure packages involving the second-level.
There were only a few specific players that the Longhorns absolutely had to lock up this week, and Rasheem Biles was one of them. Excellent job by Steve Sarkisian and Co. heading into the second week of the 2026 transfer portal window.