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Steve Sarkisian and his 2026 Texas roster are now on the clock

Eric Nahlinby: Eric Nahlin04/26/26

Steve Sarkisian is known to say, “individual success follows team success.” You’ll certainly see us share some variant of that statement during the month of May when the Texas head man takes to the speaking circuit. His statement, designed to underscore the importance of team buy-in, correlates to the facts on the ground.

  • 2021: Texas went 5–7 and had 0 players drafted in the 2022 draft.
  • 2022: Texas went 8–5 and had 5 players selected in the 2023 draft.
  • 2023: Texas went 13–2 and had 11 players selected in the 2024 draft.
  • 2024: Texas went 13–3 and had 12 players selected in the 2025 draft.
  • 2025: Texas went 10–3 and had 6 players selected in the 2026 draft.

Kudos to Sark for moving the definition of “disappointing” to 10 wins and 6 draft picks.

The “Chicken and Egg” Argument

While there is a bit of a “chicken and egg” to what Sark says—the team wins more games because the individuals are better—there’s also a lot of truth independent of the paradox to what Sark says. Look no further than National Champion Indiana.

Indiana as the Case Study

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza probably doesn’t win the Heisman or go No. 1 overall if he wasn’t on a team that made a deep playoff run. Not only did his profile grow by leaps and bounds after leaving Cal, his mettle was tested in games that made him part of Indiana’s folklore forever.

Wide receiver Omar Cooper, who signed with Indiana out of high school, had his “who is that guy moment” against Penn State, when he made perhaps the play of the year. He joined Mendoza in the first round after the Jets took him at No. 30.

I still can’t believe this play.

DeAngelo Ponds, at 5-8.5, 185 pounds, was perhaps the pound-for-pound best player in the country. The defensive back was also selected by the Jets after they made the call in the 2nd round. Ponds started his career with Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti at James Madison. Ponds’ size and point of origin don’t exactly scream No. 50 overall.

Running back Kaelon Black went in the 3rd round to the 49ers. Like Ponds, and so many others, Black began his career at James Madison. He went to the 49ers, a team increasingly known for drafting players “too early.” The Hoosiers’ team success likely played a role in lifting Black’s value in the eyes of Niners GM John Lynch.

Cooper wasn’t the only wide receiver drafted. Elijah Sarratt joined him in the 4th round. Sarratt is yet another James Madison transfer. He probably wouldn’t be drafted that early if he remained at James Madison, or if he wasn’t paired with such a good quarterback on a great team.

Tight end Riley Nowakowski was drafted by the Steelers in the 5th round. In 39 games at Wisconsin, he compiled 18 receptions. In 16 games at Indiana, he recorded 32. Did anyone have Nowakowski as being a more coveted prospect than Texas’ Jack Endries? I damn sure didn’t.

Center Pat Coogan was taken by Tennessee in the 6th round. I’m reminded of a buddy of mine, who coaches O-line in high school, wondering why Texas wasn’t after the Notre Dame transfer while he was sitting in the portal last year. That was a great decision by Cignetti.

The Texans took linebacker Aiden Fisher in the 7th round. Guess where he started his career. Seriously, take a wild guess. Damn, you still can’t get it, Geronimo? Okay, I’ll give you a hint—“Father of the Constitution.” No, not George Washington University. Sigh.

The Bigger Takeaways

There are a number of takeaways here, including Sark’s overarching premise of team success begetting individual accolades. If you beat an Ohio State team with roster-wide blue-chip talent and 11 draft picks, including 7 in the first two rounds, NFL GMs and scouts are going to take a much harder look at your roster.

But there’s something else that precedes team success, which precedes individual notoriety, and that’s coaching. Cignetti just turned half of his old James Madison locker room into a Disney movie through team discipline, talent evaluation, establishment of culture, efficient use of the portal, etc.

Texas Outlook

Texas enters next season, including draft season, with an embarrassment of riches. Arch Manning, Colin Simmons, Trevor Goosby, Cam Coleman, Jelani McDonald, Hero Kanu, Rasheem Biles, and many more are now on the clock. In some ways, Sark is, too.

That group of players should earn a number of individual accomplishments and early draft selections that follow team success.

I’m betting they will.

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