The Texas Longhorns need edge help in 2026, and Missouri freshman Javion Hilson could be a portal fit.
As the 2026 transfer portal window approaches, Texas Longhorns fans are already tracking which names might help reload a roster with playoff expectations.
One of the more intriguing early entries is Missouri defensive end Javion Hilson, a former blue-chip recruit who has announced his intention to hit the portal on Jan. 2.
Hilson, a freshman out of Cocoa, Florida, barely saw the field for the Tigers in 2025, logging just three games and 31 snaps. That limited usage doesn't reflect his ceiling, though.
Coming out of high school, Hilson was a four-star edge prospect who drew interest from some of the biggest brands in college football.
He originally committed to Alabama, flipped to Florida State to stay closer to home, then reopened things again before ultimately choosing Missouri over UCF, Syracuse, Michigan and others.
That winding recruitment tells you two things ... big-time staffs have already vetted his talent, and he's not afraid to rethink his path if the fit isn't right.
For Texas, the timing of his availability is impossible to ignore.
Senior edge rusher Ethan Burke has finished his college career, leaving a leadership and production void in a position group that has become vital in the SEC.
On top of that, the Longhorns saw defensive linemen Corey Wells and Dylan Berymon decommit ahead of the Early Signing Period, tightening the numbers up front and putting more pressure on portal evaluations.
Hilson checks several boxes that Texas will care about.
He has length and explosiveness off the edge, multiple years of eligibility remaining, and experience in an SEC environment - even if it was in a limited role.
For a staff that has shown it's willing to blend high school recruiting with strategic portal additions, he profiles as exactly the type of upside swing you investigate early in the cycle.
Of course, fit is a two-way street.
Hilson will be looking for a program that can offer a clearer path to playing time, a strong developmental track record for pass rushers, and a defensive scheme that lets him attack rather than read and react.
Texas can credibly pitch all three, especially with its move into the expanded SEC and expectation of yearly contention.
Whether the Longhorns seriously pursue Hilson won't be known until the portal officially opens and visits start to line up. But as roster movement ramps up and the SEC reshapes itself again for 2026, he's exactly the kind of name Longhorns fans should keep circled during that chaotic two-week window.