Texas college football is capitalizing on a chaotic national landscape. With multiple blue-blood jobs opening and classes at UCLA, Arkansas, and Penn State slipping amid staff turmoil, the Lone Star State’s headliners – Texas A&M, Texas, and Texas Tech – used ESPN’s latest 2026 update to solidify or climb in the national recruiting race, while uncertainty clouds peers like Florida and LSU despite top-15 hauls.
Texas A&M holds firm at No. 3 with 16 ESPN 300 commits, reflecting how quickly Mike Elko’s operation has scaled beyond in-state borders.
The Aggies plucked the nation’s No. 1 athlete, Brandon Arrington, out of California (projected corner in College Station) and raided Georgia for ESPN 300 defensive linemen Jordan Carter and Bryce Perry-Wright, plus New Jersey DT Jermaine Kinsler.
Offensively, Elko fortified the backfield with Texans K.J. Edwards and Jonathan Hatton (verified 21 mph on film) and unearthed Utah QB Helaman Casuga, a quick-release passer with a lively arm. A late flip of Ohio standout CB Victor Singleton (also clocked at 21 mph) underscores A&M’s traction in talent-rich states that typically feed rival rosters.
Texas sits at No. 5 (down one spot despite quality), but the Longhorns’ 14 ESPN 300 commits center on high-leverage positions.
Five-star QB Dia Bell brings polish (70% completions as a junior) to a room already headlined by Arch Manning. Texas stacked weapons with ESPN 300 WRs Chris Stewart (vertical juice) and Jermaine Bishop Jr. (after-catch creator), and added five-star RB Derrek Cooper, a size-speed multipurpose threat.
In the trenches, top-10 OG Nicolas Robertson headlines a strong in-state OL pull. On defense, former Oregon pledge Richard Wesley provides explosive edge versatility, while Dylan Berymon and Corey Wells add 300-pound interior mass that projects to the rotation as the portal-heavy 2025 stopgap cycle out.
The biggest step forward came from Texas Tech, rising from No. 24 to No. 18 on the strength of targeted star power and development bets.
Joey McGuire landed five-star OT Felix Ojo, Tech’s second in-state five-star under his watch (after Micah Hudson in 2024), and paired him with guard Jerald Mays to anchor future protection. On defense, five-star pass-rusher LaDamion Guyton not only chose Tech but reclassified from 2027 to 2026, accelerating his impact timeline as the Red Raiders prepare to replace sack production when David Bailey departs.
Four-star WR Chase Campbell (160+ catches, 35 TDs across sophomore/junior seasons) and in-state ballhawk Donovan Webb (UA Dallas position MVP) round out a balanced class that complements Tech’s portal activity.
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All of this movement lands against the backdrop of a coaching market already reshaping 2026 boards.
Classes at UCLA, Arkansas, and Penn State have dipped amid leadership changes, while Florida and LSU – both top-15 on paper – carry “wait-and-see” volatility that competitors will try to exploit if decommitments ripple out. With the College Football Playoff race heating up, staffs are racing to lock in early signatures and insulate key pledges from December and January poaching.
in a year when vacancies are putting prized recruits back in play, Texas A&M is reinforcing an SEC-ready roster with national reach, Texas is stacking blue-chip skill and line talent around another five-star quarterback, and Texas Tech is turning marquee wins into ranking momentum.
If the carousel keeps spinning, expect all three to circle back for opportunistic adds before the ink dries on the 2026 cycle.
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