All-SEC OT Trevor Goosby bypasses NFL Draft, boosting Texas football and Arch Manning’s protection for the 2026 SEC title push.
In the NIL era of college football, roster wins don’t always come with confetti. Sometimes, they look like a left tackle deciding not to leave.
For Texas football, Trevor Goosby’s return might matter more than any flashy transfer addition this offseason.
ESPN proclaimed Goosby as the Longhorns' biggest key player in 2026.
The Longhorns finished 10-3 (6-2 SEC) in 2025 and remain firmly planted in Way-Too-Early Top 25 conversations.
But in a world where more than 3,200 FBS scholarship players entered the transfer portal and draft decisions reshaped depth charts nationwide, continuity is currency.
And Goosby is a premium asset.
The first-team All-SEC offensive tackle emerged as one of the conference’s most reliable protectors in his first full season as a starter. Taking over for Kelvin Banks Jr., Goosby didn’t just hold the line - he elevated it.
According to ESPN Research, he allowed just one sack all season and posted a 1.5 percent pressure rate, the second-best mark among SEC starting tackles.
Instead of testing the NFL Draft waters, Goosby chose to return for his redshirt junior season, positioning himself to become a first-round lock in the 2027 NFL Draft, potentially.
It’s a calculated move ... improve draft stock, anchor a championship-caliber offense and cash in later.
For Steve Sarkisian and quarterback Arch Manning, this is enormous.
Texas’ offensive line needed stability after a season where consistency wavered at times. The staff added four transfers to strengthen depth, but none carry the impact of a proven SEC blindside protector.
Manning’s development in 2026 hinges on clean pockets, and Goosby gives Texas a foundational piece to build around.
Zoom out, and the bigger picture becomes clear.
The last three College Football Playoff national champions - Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan - all leaned heavily on veteran retention. Starters stayed. Leaders returned. Chemistry compounded.
In today’s revenue-sharing and NIL landscape, convincing elite players to stay may be the ultimate competitive advantage.
Goosby’s decision signals belief. Belief in Sarkisian’s system. Belief in Texas’ championship ceiling. Belief that another year in Austin can elevate both his game and the program’s trajectory.
In a sport obsessed with who’s leaving, Texas just secured one of the most important players who isn’t.
And in 2026, that might make all the difference in the SEC title race and the College Football Playoff chase.