2025 Texas Longhorns football preview: Turnover at wide receiver, tight end not bothering Sarkisian

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Despite returning just two wide receivers in 2025 who recorded catches last season, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is "really excited" about the group.

2025 Texas Longhorns football position previews

• Offensive Line
• Defensive Line
• Running Backs
• Linebackers
• Quarterbacks: July 24
• Defensive Backs and Special Teams: July 31

DeAndre Moore Jr. and Ryan Wingo are back to lead the receiving corps, but even with the addition of a pair of transfers at receiver and tight end, there's a lot of youth and inexperience with the pass catchers. But that's OK as far as Sarkisian is concerned.

"We've had receivers drafted in the first round of the last two years, but this group is really good," he said at SEC Media Days.

He called Moore, a junior, the leader of the group. Both he and Wingo didn't participate in spring practices while nursing injuries, but they'll be ready to go once training camp begins in late July. Moore was a great possession receiver from the slot last season, hauling in 39 catches for 456 yards and seven touchdowns.

Wingo could be one of the breakout receivers in the country this year with his elite speed on the outside. As a true freshman last season, he caught 29 passes for 472 yards — a 16.3 yards per catch average — with two touchdowns. His longest catch of 75 yards went to the end zone and came from the arm of Arch Manning against UTSA. Wingo split a two-high safety look from the backside and was wide open for Manning to lay it out in front of him.

"He probably, at a lot of other schools, would have had more opportunities, but when you had the room we have, he was still very efficient," Sarkisian said of Wingo. "He had a bunch of catches in critical moments for us."

Sarkisian went to the portal to find a third receiver in Stanford's Emmett Mosley V. He caught 48 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns for Stanford as a true freshman last season, so not only does he help fill an immediate need for the Longhorns, but he will also be around to develop.

Texas has also had two great recruiting classes full of pass catchers, including 5-star recruit Kaliq Lockett, along with 4-stars Jamie Ffrench, Michael Terry III, Daylan McCutchen and 2024 recruit Parker Livingstone. Sarkisian said Livingstone, a Lucas Lovejoy product, is "leading the charge with the younger players in that room."

Gunnar Helm, who had one of the best seasons in the country by a tight end last season, is off to the NFL. Sarkisian dipped into the portal and grabbed one of the best available, Cal's Jack Endries. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior hauled in 56 catches for 623 yards and two touchdowns, and was one of the most productive tight ends in the ACC.

Sarkisian said Jordan Washington, Spencer Shannon, Emaree Winston and Nick Townsend will all factor in this season as well. Washington was a 4-star recruit out of Langham Creek HS in Houston and Townsend was as well, hailing from Dekaney HS in Houston.

Of course, they won't be the only players catching passes for the Longhorns. A big part of Sarkisian's offense is to utilize running backs out of the backfield, so it will be interesting to see which receivers emerge as not only pass catchers but also blockers down the field.