From coin flip to undisputed No. 1 winner of the offseason? That is how some view the Texas Longhorns heading into a 2025 season where the expectations are seemingly as high as they have been in the last decade.
In a recent article ranking the top-25 teams in college football following spring practice, the Athletic's Stewart Mandel has named the Longhorns the "biggest winner" of the offseason and ranked them No. 1. This is after his "way-too-early" top-25 from back in January had the Longhorns at No. 2 only behind Penn State.
So what changed? Well, Steve Sarkisian and Co. added to their roster with a talented transfer portal class that filled some of the biggest perceived holes on the roster coming out of last season.
"Despite losing 12 draft picks, Texas looks like the closest thing to a complete team. Everyone knows about Manning, but the ’Horns should again be teeming with skill talent and strong in the trenches," Mandel writes. "Mosley and Endries become immediate targets for Manning, while Watson (6-foot-3, 313 pounds), a true freshman starter, Purdue transfer Cole Brevard and North Carolina transfer Travis Shaw fill a need at defensive tackle."
The defensive line was a position of emphasis for the Longhorns this offseason. They lost several contributors along their defensive front from last season, including both of their starting defensive tackles, Vernon Broughton and Alfred Collins.
Yet despite losing both of their starters last season, the Longhorns managed to add three players with starts under their belts in Shaw, Brevard, and Watson.
Similar to defensive tackle, Texas lost several contributors at tight end. Gunnar Helm went to the NFL, while Amari Niblack transferred to Texas A&M. Albeit the position still had talent, the Longhorns were left without experience. Which is what Texas got with the addition of Jack Endries.
Combined with the No. 1-ranked recruiting class, Texas' roster doesn't have any major holes remaining. Which, to Mandel's point, on paper gives them an edge over everyone else when it comes to who is the No. 1 team.
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