Christmas is here and that means everyone has made their wish list for the season. That includes the 13 FBS programs around Texas that are waiting on the transfer portal to open on Jan. 2. No team is above using the portal to reinforce the ranks and find some instant impact players at multiple positions, even the super recruiting powers like Texas and Texas A&M. 

We decided to get ahead of the market and breakdown what each team is looking for over the next month. 

TEXAS LONGHORNS 

Running Back, Linebacker 

Expect the Horns and head coach Steve Sarkisian to attack the portal with more fervor and urgency in 2026. Of the 11 transfers taken in the portal ahead of last year, five of those played defensive line and two more were specialists. The group lacked difference makers and that cost Texas in 2025. Sark & Co. need numerous starters from the upcoming portal and two of the main needs are at running back and linebacker. 

Sarkisian failed to post a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time in his career as the Longhorns ranked 101st in rushing offense while averaging fewer than four yards per carry. The program also loses both linebackers with Anthony Hill Jr. off to the NFL and Liona Lefau announcing his intention to jump in the portal. Potential starters along the interior of the offensive line are also needed. 

TEXAS A&M AGGIES 

Defensive Tackle 

Head coach Mike Elko didn’t shy away from admitting that improving the run defense is priority No. 1 for his program heading into 2026. His Aggies allowed 6.3 yards per carry against Miami in the first-round loss in the College Football Playoff last weekend and rival Texas ran the ball better than it had all season in the regular season finale win over Texas A&M on Black Friday.

Starters Albert Regis and Tyler Onyedim are out of eligibility and the depth behind them wasn’t overly impressive for much of 2025. The Wrecking Crew was 13th out of 16 in yards per rush allowed in the SEC at 4.19 a carry. Linebacker could also be a need, especially if Taurean York enters the NFL draft. We also wouldn’t be surprised to see Elko address the offensive line, as well, because he wants to improve as a rushing offense in 2026. 

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS 

Quarterback, Edge 

The injury to Will Hammond will keep him out of most of the 2026 season and that alters the succession plan at quarterback for the Red Raiders. Expect Joey McGuire and GM James Blanchard to find a senior quarterback transfer who can carry the torch for a year before Hammond takes the reins for 2027. The other main need is at edge rusher with David Bailey and Romello Height heading to the NFL after the playoffs. Texas Tech saw how valuable an elite pass rush is for the rest of the defense and are sure to splash on a couple of difference makers off the edge. 

TCU HORNED FROGS 

Quarterback, Linebacker  

Josh Hoover is headed to the portal and that means the Horned Frogs need a starting quarterback for 2026 because Ken Seals is a senior and freshman Adam Schobel isn’t ready to be a full-time starter in the Big 12. Even if the staff believes Schobel can play as a starter in 2026, the Frogs need some competition. I think it is more likely they grab a sure-fire starter in the portal and new offensive coordinator Gordon Simmons might have an option or two in mind. Quarterback is far from the only need in Fort Worth. The defense needs a reload with linebacker, edge, and each position in the secondary requiring some attention. 

BAYLOR BEARS 

Quarterback, Defensive Front 7

The Bears are in the market for a new starting quarterback because Sawyer Robertson is off to the NFL. Retaining offensive coordinator Jake Spavital was a win for Dave Aranda and the numbers Robertson put up under Spav should help attract some attractive options in the transfer market. The big name on everyone’s minds is Florida transfer D.J. Lagway, who is a native Texan and his dad is a Baylor alum. The defensive front seven also needs an overhaul. The only two Power Four programs with worse run defenses in 2025 were Rutgers and Colorado. The Bears allowed a staggering 4.91 yards per rush. 

HOUSTON COUGARS 

Offensive Line, Defensive Line 

Willie and Wes Fritz rebuilt the Houston offensive line between 2024 and 2025 and the staff will need to pull off that trick again to build on its success next year. As Martin Marroquin pointed out, the OL uses a staggering 2,936 snaps with only Mackenzie Agnello and Alvin Ebolese returning. Offensive tackle David Ndukwe receiving a medical redshirt would be huge for the Coogs, but even if he does, Houston needs two or three starters up front. Cornerback and defensive line are the main concerns on defense. Replacing Carlos Allen in the trenches won’t be easy. Same with defensive backs such as Latrell McCutchin and Wrook Brown. 

SMU MUSTANGS 

Secondary 

The Ponies already won one transfer portal battle by keeping quarterback Kevin Jennings on the Hilltop. SMU needs to retool the cornerback and safety rooms on defense after ranking 135th in pass defense last year. The only team that allowed more passing yards per game in the entire FBS was Stanford. The Mustangs did record 17 interceptions, but that was overshadowed by the 23 passing touchdowns allowed. The safety room will be without Isaiah Nwokobia and Ahmad Moses next season. Defensive tackle is another spot to watch with Jeffrey M’ba and Terry Webb out of eligibility. Tight end is the room to watch on offense as Rhett Lashlee must replace Matthew Hibner and RJ Maryland. 

NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN 

A Roster  

Losses are expected to be heavy for the Mean Green after an historically successful season. Most of the staff is headed to Oklahoma State and it’ll be hard for new head coach Neal Brown to retain many of the key pieces who could return. That’s not a North Texas specific problem, however. That’s life with a new head coach, especially in the G5. Brown & Co. will need to scour the portal for immediate impact players at every position on the roster. We wouldn’t be surprised if over 50 or 60 new faces arrive from the portal between now and the start of the season. 

UTSA ROADRUNNERS 

Linebacker 

One of the strengths on defense for the Roadrunners was the linebacker duo of Shad Banks Jr. and Kendrick Blackshire, but both were seniors and that’ll force Jeff Traylor and defensive coordinator Jess Loepp to search from a couple of new faces in the portal. UTSA also needs some reinforcements at outside linebacker and at safety on the defense. Offensive tackle might be the biggest priority on offense.

RICE OWLS

Corners, Edge 

The Owls join a long list of programs that need help at two high priority spots on the defense – cornerback and edge rusher. Tony Anyanwu was the team’s best edge rusher but he was a grad transfer who can’t return in 2026. The Owls registered 22 sacks in 2025, but 11 of those came in wins over Charlotte and UAB. The Owls were 12th in the American Conference in pass defense after allowing 243.8 yards per game through the air. Only UAB allowed more yards per attempt than the 8.4 surrendered by Rice. The Rice defense only registered three interceptions on the season despite facing 349 passing attempts. 

TEXAS STATE BOBCATS 

Linebacker, Secondary 

New defensive coordinator Will Windham has his work cut out for him. He needs to revamp a Bobcats defense that allowed over 30 points and nearly 400 yards per game last season. Texas State improved during its three-game winning streak to close the season and become bowl eligible for the third time in a row, but new faces at essentially every position on defense are required to hit the ground running in the new look Pac-12. 

SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS 

Wide Receiver, Secondary 

Teams that go 2-10 clearly need help at every position entering a new season, but we’ll pick wide receiver on offense and the secondary on defense as the first priorities on each side of the ball for the staff. The Bearkats stumbled into the future at quarterback with Landyn Locke emerging late in the year and the staff needs to identify a few wide receivers it can bring in to help him succeed. Defensively, Sam Houston loses its entire starting secondary, which might not be a bad thing considering the Kats ranked 133rd in passing defense. They were 13th in 2024. 

UTEP MINERS 

Offensive Line 

The Miners must replace all five starters from an offensive line that struggled at times this season. The rushing offense ranked ninth out of 12 teams in Conference USA with 115.58 yards per game while only averaging 3.7 yards a carry, which was 107th in the FBS. The offensive line also allowed 26 sacks and 76 tackles for loss. Poor offensive line play has plagued the Miners through the first two years of the Scotty Walden era and that’s hindered an offense that ranked 98th in scoring this season.