Steve Sarkisian’s recruiting machine keeps rolling. The Texas Longhorns picked up a commitment from four-star defensive lineman Tyler Alexander, who announced his decision on social media Sunday. Alexander, listed at 6’4″ and 305 pounds, chose Texas over a shortlist that included Georgia, Notre Dame, and Colorado.
The big man from the Lone Star State said it pretty plainly: “Everything is bigger in Texas.” Hard to argue when you look at what Sarkisian is building in Austin.
Alexander’s pledge is the latest in a string of defensive wins for the Longhorns. He’s the third top-100 defensive recruit to join this cycle, joining four-star edge rusher JaBarrius Garror and five-star cornerback John Meredith. Meredith, who’s from Fort Worth and transferred from Euless Trinity to North Crowley, is ranked as the No. 2 overall recruit in the country. He made his commitment official live on the Pat McAfee Show earlier this month.
There’s a catch with Meredith — he won’t play as a senior. The UIL ruled him ineligible for the 2025 season after his January transfer. But that hasn’t cooled his stock with scouts or with Sarkisian’s staff.
The Arch Manning Factor
While all this recruiting momentum is nice, what’s really got people talking is the guy under center. Arch Manning is set to start for Texas in 2025, and the hype is real even if his first crack at it had some rough edges.
Manning struggled early last season. Turnovers and bad decisions against Ohio State and Florida cost Texas a shot at the College Football Playoff. But by November, something clicked. He was moving better in the pocket, scrambling when he had to, and his arm talent — that’s never been the question.
FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt recently ranked Manning behind Oregon’s Dante Moore for 2026 quarterback prospects. Which is fine. Klatt’s job is to make rankings. But Texas fans know what they saw late in the year. Manning has the frame, the arm, and now a year of real game experience under his belt.
The roster around him is getting deeper by the month. Alexander gives them another body in the trenches. The secondary is stacking up. And the offense should have weapons even if the receiving corps has some questions.
Texas has the talent to make a run. The question is whether Manning can put it all together when the lights are brightest. We’ll find out soon enough.
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