The transfer portal and older rosters across college football have made the road to early playing time tougher than ever for true freshman. That doesn’t mean special players can’t arrive on campuses across Texas and find some early playing time.

With National Signing Day in the rearview mirror and most of the 2026 class already enrolled ahead of spring ball, here are eight signees with real shots to make an immediate impact in college. 

1. Texas ATH Jermaine Bishop 

Info: Willis HS (TX); 5-star; No. 2 on the DCTF Top 100; No. 57 nationally on 247Sports Composite 

Bishop could make an impact in all three phases of football during his career at Texas. The 5-foot-11, 155-pound athlete was a superstar in high school at wide receiver, in the secondary, and as a returner on special teams. He says he’ll get a chance to play both ways as a Longhorn, but we believe his fastest route to impacting the 2026 season as a true freshman is at wide receiver. 

The Longhorns have two studs on the outside in Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo but there are opportunities at slot receiver behind Emmett Mosley V. Bishop will compete against some top-rated talent in the 2025 class on the Forty Acres for snaps. 

2. Texas A&M RB KJ Edwards

Info: Carthage HS (TX); 5-star; No. 5 on the DCTF Top 100; No. 49 nationally on 247Sports Composite 

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound running back from Carthage was a four-year starter and was arguably the best running back prospect ever at the storied East Texas program. He ran for over 6,000 yards in his career, including 2,085 as a senior with 31 touchdowns. Edwards is a two-time Offensive MVP in state title games and should immediately work his way into meaningful snaps in the Texas A&M backfield. The Aggies, who lost Le’Veon Moss to the NFL, return Reuben Owens and Jamarion Morrow at running back for 2026 behind a brand-new offensive line. 

3. Texas Tech Edge LaDamion Guyton

Info: Benedictine Military School (Ga.); 5-star; No. 26 nationally on the 247Sports Composite 

The Red Raiders learned how valuable an elite pass rush is to defensive success with David Bailey and Romello Height wreaking havoc on opposing offenses during a historic 2025 season. Both of those players are off to the NFL, and while Texas Tech and GM James Blanchard reworked the roster through the portal, Guyton could walk into Lubbock and make an immediate impact as a pass rusher as a true freshman. Guyton reclassified so he’ll be a young player in college, but he recorded over 23 sacks in three years of high school ball. 

4. TCU Edge Carter Buck 

Info: Lake Travis HS (TX); 4-star; No. 33 on the DCTF Top 100; No. 310 nationally on 247Sports Composite 

The Horned Frogs need help rushing the passer after ranking 85th nationally in 2025 with only 23 total sacks as a team. Most of those came from players other than edge rusher and TCU loses three of its top four sackers from last year’s team. The leading sacker returning along the defensive line in Fort Worth registered two sacks last year. Buck, who is over 6-foot-5 and inching towards 260 pounds, is readymade to handle the college game as a true freshman because of that size. He recorded 191 tackles, including 52 for loss and 26.5 sacks as a prep star. 

5. Baylor WR London Smith 

Info: Waco University (TX); 4-star; No. 23 on the DCTF Top 100; No. 463 nationally on 247Sports Composite 

An incredibly productive receiver at the high school level with over 200 catches for 3,557 yards and 47 touchdowns in a four-year career at Waco University. Both of his parents were athletes at Baylor and his dad was his high school basketball coach. His mom was an NCAA national champion in the triple jump in 1999. Baylor is overhauling the whole passing attack with QB DJ Lagway set to replace Sawyer Robertson. The Bears lose wide receivers Josh Cameron, Ashtyn Hawkins, Kole Wilson, and Kobe Prentice, as well as tight end Michael Trigg. That provides an opportunity for Smith to earn some early snaps.

6. Houston QB Keisean Henderson 

Info: Legacy School of Sport Sciences (TX); 5-star; No. 1 on the DCTF Top 100; No. 1 nationally on the 247Sports Composite. 

QB Conner Weigman returns for the Cougars after leading the program to a 10-win season so the starting job isn’t up for grabs. Still, it is hard to imagine that the top-ranked player in the nation doesn’t find a role as a true freshman. Henderson is a 6-foot-3, 185-pounder who dominated the private school ranks and will face a steep learning curve as the competition greatly improves in college and that means Weigman’s presence is more luxury than curse. Henderson can learn in the shadows and help in controlled circumstances early in his career. 

7. SMU RB Christian Rhodes

Info: Lake Highlands HS (TX); 4-star; No. 27 on the DCTF Top 100; No. 171 nationally on the 247Sports Composite 

The Mustangs lose their top two rushers – TJ Harden and Chris Johnson Jr. – from the 2025 squad. They did add Cal transfer Kendrick Raphael and return potential breakout candidates in Derrick McFall and Dramekco Green at running back, but there feels like an opportunity for a player like Rhodes to make an immediate impact. He ran for over 1,000 yards as a junior and a senior and has track speed. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Rhodes should be able to handle the physicality of the college game early. 

8. Texas State ATH Lakeyleon Graves

Info: Kilgore HS (TX); 3-star; No. 77 on the DCTF Top 100; No. 498 on the 247Sports Composite

Graves is the highest-ranked player ever to sign with the Bobcats as the Pac-12 bump is already paying off on the recruiting trail. In fact, the top four signees in Texas State recruiting history are in the 2026 class. Graves is listed as an athlete because he was dominant as a wide receiver and a safety for Kilgore, one of the state’s best Class 4A programs. The opportunity to play early was one of the reasons Graves wound up at Texas State and we expect him to make plays somewhere for the Bobcats in 2026.