With yet another outstanding recruiting offseason, the Texas Longhorns find themselves with a fortunate dilemma. NFL departures dealt a serious blow to Steve Sarkisian’s offense, but Texas rebounded via the portal and is likely the SEC’s deepest receiving room as they get ready for their league debut. The Longhorns signed three veteran transfers: Matthew Golden from Houston, Oregon State’s Silas Bolden, and Alabama’s Isaiah Bond. However, even if these transfers were needed, the position is now stuck with new and second-year recruits. In response to questions about why the Longhorns signed so many multi-star receivers in the first place, Sarkisian spoke about second-year pass catchers Johntay Cook II, DeAndre Moore, and Ryan Niblett on National Signing Day on Wednesday.
“They’re all very talented young players or we wouldn’t have recruited them,” Sarkisian stated. “They are big. They move quickly. They are adept at the ball. They have a very promising future. However, it would have been negligent of me to believe that I would enter the season with three wide receivers on scholarship.” Cook concluded the previous season as a freshman with eight catches for 136 yards, while Moore participated in nine games but managed just one kickoff return for fifteen yards. Niblett only had three appearances in games, keeping his sophomore redshirt intact. In the age of the portal, it seems sense that any one of those three could leave if they didn’t get enough playing time or goals. Additionally, there might not be a lot of targets available if the Texas offense in 2024 is anything like it was this previous season. Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Worthy, and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders head the Longhorns’ passing attack, with Jordan Whittington adding some spice. Many collegiate athletes will have to make a decision, and whoever ends up as WR4 in the rankings next season may have to make it.
That chamber will be quite sturdy, according to Sarkisian. “We’ve just got to find that right group of guys once September rolls around.” First glimpses of the new receiving corps will be shown to fans on Saturday, April 20, during the Orange-White Game.
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