Why Texas must add an experienced WR before the 2025 season

Readers of this website must be tired of all the news coming out of the wide receiver position.

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While there have been positive reports about Parker Livingstone breaking into a featured role for Texas during spring practices, Longhorn fans have been bombarded with bad news about the only returning producers at the position.

DeAndre Moore Jr., the only upperclassman in the room, will not be a part of Texas’ spring practice as he nurses an injury. Then, just a week into practice, fellow starter Ryan Wingo sustained a hamstring injury that will sideline him for a few practices. Suddenly, every single receiver playing in Texas’ practice is a freshman.

Both Moore and Wingo should be back by summertime and fully healthy for the season, but that doesn’t mean this Texas receiving corps is complete.

As previously mentioned, it seems like Livingstone has locked up some sort of role for 2025. You can probably pencil him in for a similar line to what Wingo had last year (29 catches, 472 yards, 2 scores). That gives you three guys to like for the season: a true WR1 in Wingo, an elite slot (we’d argue Moore will be a top-three slot receiver in the SEC), and a fourth option.

In case you didn’t notice, something is missing there. While Texas is clearly talented at the WR position, it’s hard to project Livingstone as a high-level No. 3 option that Texas feels confident giving 50+ snaps to against teams like Georgia, Ohio State, and postseason competition this year.

“This year” is the most important part of that sentence. Texas has two five-stars and a redshirt freshman four-star behind the three players mentioned, but ideally, none of them need to play important snaps in big games. Last College Football Playoff run, Texas receivers not named Matthew Golden averaged 63 yards per game combined. That’s not a number you want from a group like that, and that included a decently healthy Wingo and Moore.

Even if you personally love a Kaliq Lockett or Aaron Butler, it’s hard to expect anyone in that group to provide a consistent 50+ yards per game against the best teams in the nation. One injury to Moore or Wingo, and suddenly this group of pass catchers is the weakest part of the team.

That’s why the Longhorns will monitor the WR position in the spring transfer portal. Texas has home-run hitters and young talent, but it desperately needs a pair of experienced, sure-handed receivers—something Moore and Wingo haven’t fully provided yet.

The selling point to a WR transfer is much easier than at RB, which we’ve written about before. When Golden is drafted, Texas will have sent two straight transfer WRs to the NFL in the first two rounds. It’ll be harder than last year to bring in a Golden or Isaiah Bond type, as Wingo does limit the ceiling of a potential transfer, but the opportunity to play with Arch Manning and start on a national championship favorite will override any other doubts.

Texas will look for some size and reliability at this spot—someone who has played a lot of Power 4 football or a player with the right build and past production for Steve Sarkisian and WR coach Chris Jackson to pull the trigger. If this acquisition is a success, you suddenly have a very high-ceiling group, where Livingstone can be the No. 4 and multiple talented guys are waiting for their chance.

As stated earlier, these kinds of additions aren’t made in fear of losing to teams like Kentucky or Mississippi State. There would be no concern about Texas beating those defenses with Livingstone starting and true freshmen playing many snaps. But in games where Texas needs 3–4 starting-level guys winning off the line of scrimmage against future NFL starters, the Longhorns don’t want a repeat of last year, where Bond and Wingo combined for under 30 yards per game in the last five games of the season.

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You’re more than okay with letting the five less-ready receivers take a more developmental year if it means Texas can bring in a day 1 impact senior. Lockett, Butler, Jaime Ffrench, Daylan McCutcheon, and Michael Terry III will all play this year, but not forcing them into difficult matchups too early may be the best thing for their development.