Texas Lands Just Outside Top 10 Despite Glaring Five-Star Omission

Texas spent last season demonstrating why preseason expectations possess an expiration date.

The Longhorns entered Sean Miller’s first year with a hastily constructed roster, finished 10th in the SEC and barely reached the NCAA Tournament.

Then they advanced from the First Four to the Sweet 16 and came within a last-second Purdue tip-in of reaching the Elite Eight.

Miller no longer possesses the benefit of modest expectations.

Texas responded to its March run by combining the nation’s No. 4 transfer class with the No. 5 high school class, giving the program arguably the most talented collection of newcomers in college basketball.

Jon Rothstein believes that overhaul places the Longhorns near the front of the national championship conversation.

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Just not quite inside the top 10.

Rothstein ranked Texas No. 11 in his updated Rothstein 45, immediately behind St. John’s and one spot ahead of Tennessee.

That isn't an unreasonable assessment for a team replacing nearly its entire Sweet 16 rotation.

Jordan Pope, Chendall Weaver, Tramon Mark, Dailyn Swain, Nick Codie, Camden Heide and Simeon Wilcher are gone. Matas Vokietaitis represents the only returning starter, while John Clark and Lewis Obiorah are the only other returning scholarship players expected to hold regular roles.

The difference is what Miller had available while rebuilding this time.

Rothstein projects Colorado transfer Isaiah Johnson, five-star freshman Austin Goosby, Auburn transfer Elyjah Freeman, TCU transfer David Punch and Vokietaitis as Texas’ starting five.

That lineup contains three proven high-major producers and one of the most intriguing freshmen in the country.

Johnson averaged 16.9 points during his lone season at Colorado. Punch added 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds for TCU, while Vokietaitis produced 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds during Texas’ run to the Sweet 16.

Goosby receiving the final starting spot may be the most notable portion of Rothstein’s projection.

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The 6-foot-5 McDonald’s All-American possesses the size and playmaking ability to complement Johnson without requiring Miller to start another ball-dominant guard. He would have to beat out Saint Mary’s transfer Mikey Lewis and Tennessee transfer Amari Evans, but Rothstein clearly expects his talent to translate immediately.

Texas’ depth makes that competition possible.

Lewis, Evans, Clark, Obiorah, Joe Sterling and Bo Ogden comprise Rothstein’s projected bench. Any of those guards could emerge as a meaningful contributor without being asked to carry the offense.

And somehow ... that list still undersells the roster.

Rothstein omitted Marcus Spears Jr. from both his projected bench and key-newcomer section. Spears, formerly ESPN’s No. 1 prospect in the 2027 class, reclassified and joined Texas as the No. 4 player in 2026. The 6-foot-9 forward is already included on the Longhorns’ official roster.

Perhaps Rothstein simply hasn't incorporated the late addition yet.

But ranking Texas No. 11 without accounting for another five-star forward demonstrates why the Longhorns could quickly outperform that placement.

Miller must establish roles for 11 newcomers and create chemistry before SEC play begins. Talent doesn't guarantee that process will unfold smoothly.

It does give Texas considerably more solutions than it possessed last season.

And that team still came one basket away from the Elite Eight.