Steve Sarkisian highlights what sets Texas apart in NIL recruiting battles

Texas Longhorns' head coach Steve Sarkisian adamantly believes his program has the best product in the country.

The Longhorns have certainly reached new heights under Sarkisian since he took the job in 2021. After a losing season in his first year, Texas has posted a 33-10 record with a Big 12 championship in 2023 and back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances over the last two seasons.

Things have also improved significantly on the recruiting trail, as Texas is coming off the nation's top class of the 2025 cycle after signing the No. 6 class and No. 3 class, respectively, over the previous two cycles.

Additionally, the Longhorns have produced the most NFL Draft picks (23) by any program over the last two years.

Sarkisian noted those accomplishments, along with making the 2024 SEC title game in the first season in the conference, when explaining why Texas is such an enticing spot for some of the top players in the country.

"All the while that's occurring at a top five public institution in the United States," Sarkisian said Tuesday on "3rd & Longhorn." "All the while being part of an athletic department that's won four of the five last athletic director's cups."

Longhorns football is backed by a large NIL war chest that is estimated to spend $22.2 million this year, the most in the country, per NCAA estimates. And Sarkisian believes there are additional opportunties for his players given Austin's lack of professional sports teams.

"But all the while you're doing it in the city of Austin, which, oh, by the way, is the largest city in the US with no pro sports," Sarkisian said. "So, no NFL, no major league baseball, no NBA. So, who are getting those NIL deals?"

Sarkisian and Co. appear to be using that aspect to sign recruits and transfers to lesser deals than they might get elsewhere, something he believes has to happen to maintain depth and stay near the top of college football.

"Maybe we get a guy for a little bit less than another school's offering," he said. "Especially in this day and age, that's got to happen ... I (a recruit) want to look at more of the long-term money and Texas is going to provide me an opportunity to to create more opportunities whether it's on the field, off the field, degree, NIL, brand building, player development, opportunity in the NFL."

"We've got a lot of avenues to go come here and be really successful," Sarkisian continued. So, there's a lot to it. But like I said, I think we have the best product in the US. I don't think there's another school that can say that."