Texas Football’s Most Intense Position Battles: Who Will Emerge as Week 1 Star?

Texas football fans can breathe a little easier this fall—no quarterback chaos lurking in the shadows, thanks to the Arch Manning frenzy that’s got Austin buzzing nationwide. But hold on, the Longhorns aren’t out of the woods yet. Coach Steve Sarkisian and his crew have some critical positions to nail down before kickoff, and these battles could shape the trajectory of Texas’ season. From unearthing a new WR1 amid the ripple effects of the 2025 NFL Draft to fine-tuning a tight end spot loaded with fresh talent—and let’s not forget the defensive “star” tasked with containing Ohio State’s electric Jeremiah Smith—these are the matchups to watch as the Horns prepare to make a statement. Can Texas find the right pieces fast enough to complement Manning’s magic? Time—and some fierce competition—will tell. LEARN MORE.

Texas football doesn’t have to worry about a quarterback competition. Not with Arch Manning mania sweeping the Austin campus and nation. But the Longhorns have other positions to settle on before Week 1.

Two involves an area impacting Manning. The other resides on the defensive side. Particularly one that’ll deal with high-octane talent Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State in two weeks.

Steve Sarkisian and his staff must finalize these three spots. Starting with an area ravaged by the 2025 NFL Draft.

New Texas WR1 must emerge, featuring Stanford transfer

Lost in the Manning hype was a massive college football transfer portal addition. One capable of becoming the first WR1 in the Manning era.

Emmett Mosley V arrives via California’s Bay Area at Stanford. Mosley broke out with 48 receptions, 525 yards and six touchdowns. And he delivered those numbers with multiple quarterbacks for the Cardinal. Mosley is a sophomore who still hasn’t played his best football yet. Best believe Sarkisian will attempt to create mismatches with the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder.

But he’s just one contender for top WR following multiple other options. DeAndre Moore Jr. gets a shot at rising to WR1 following seven touchdowns in 2024. He watched Matthew Golden lead the WR crew before heading off to the league. The returning junior Moore is the most seasoned member of the Texas WR room.

Ryan Wingo is another who earned early action — averaging 16.3 yards per catch. Meanwhile, freshmen Michael Terry III and Jaime Ffrench will attempt to earn passes from Manning.

Battle for Texas TE1 will be intriguing 

Mosley isn’t the only Bay Area addition to the Longhorns. His former college rival Jack Endries is here too.

Endries flashed immense tight end potential at Cal. Including executing the 57-yard gallop and score against Miami. He compiled career-bests of 56 catches and 623 yards. All while playing for one of the worst Atlantic Coast Conference offenses (the Golden Bears ranked 14th among 17 ACC teams).

Endries looks first in line to replace the highly productive Gunnar Helm — also known as the leading receptions leader of ’24. But Endries faces competition still.

Sophomore Spencer Shannon will aim to insert himself into this offense. He’s a taller option at 6-foot-7.

Finding a ‘Star’ before Texas vs. Ohio State 

The “star” heads to Columbus as the most integral position Texas must address. Especially with Smith leading the Buckeyes wideouts soon.

The hybrid safety/nickelback position will play a massive role in keeping Smith in front of the secondary. They’ll need to prevent Smith from blowing the top off the secondary. Texas impressively held him to just one catch for three yards in the College Football Playoffs. But Smith likely has that performance as his in-game motivation for the rematch.

So who takes the “star” for the ‘Horns? Jaylon Guilbeau earned snaps at the spot. “Star” becomes Guilbeau’s position if he doesn’t snatch the opposite cornerback spot of Malik Muhammad.

But Jelani McDonald is another contender. The junior’s safety background benefits the versatile position. Even sophomore Derek Williams Jr. looks like someone capable of filling the role. We won’t rule out freshman Wardell Mack here either — which can be a strong place to start his defensive career.

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