Texas football spring camp is underway in Austin, and five Longhorns have a major chance to seize starting jobs and reshape the 2026 depth chart.
Texas football spring practice has officially kicked off in Austin, and with it comes the annual flood of optimism surrounding Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns.
But this year’s spring camp carries extra intrigue. Several key players - including Trevor Goosby, Ty’Anthony Smith and Justus Terry - are sidelined, opening the door for new faces to climb the depth chart.
LonghornsWire wrote that for five Longhorns in particular, the next few weeks could determine whether they become role players or core starters in Texas’ 2026 college football season.
The first name to watch is running back Derrek Cooper. Sarkisian’s offense thrives when it has a physical presence in the backfield, and Cooper may be exactly that.
While backs like Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown bring speed and agility, both weigh under 200 pounds. Cooper arrived in Austin already built like an SEC bruiser at 210 pounds, giving Texas a power option it lacked at times last season.
If Cooper proves he can handle more than short-yardage work, his role could grow quickly.
At tight end, Michael Masunas might have the clearest opportunity on the roster. The Michigan State transfer enters a crowded but unsettled tight end room where no player has firmly claimed the TE1 job.
Sarkisian frequently deploys multiple tight ends, meaning Nick Townsend and Spencer Shannon will still be involved. But Masunas has the athletic profile to emerge as the primary option if he adapts quickly to the offense.
Along the offensive line, Jaydon Chatman faces one of the most important spring auditions. With Trevor Goosby sidelined and the eligibility situation surrounding Laurence Seymore still uncertain, Texas must find stability on the interior.
The early projection has Jordan Coleman protecting the blindside while Chatman slides into left guard. If Chatman locks down that position, it would stabilize a unit that must protect Texas’ high-powered offense.
Defensively, linebacker Tyler Atkinson could dramatically reshape the Longhorns’ depth chart. With Ty’Anthony Smith limited this spring, Atkinson has a rare window to showcase the talent that made him one of the most highly touted linebackers in his recruiting class.
If he proves ready for major snaps by Week 1, Texas suddenly has a much deeper linebacker rotation alongside Biles and Spence.
Then there’s Derek Williams Jr., whose story might be the most compelling of all. After battling through injury setbacks during his sophomore season, the talented safety is finally positioned for a clean slate. With Blake Gideon returning to coach the secondary and defensive veterans like Will Muschamp and Mark Stoops influencing the unit, Williams has the coaching support needed to regain his confidence and playmaking instincts.
Spring football always produces storylines. In Austin, these five players may end up defining the Longhorns’ 2026 season before it even begins.