Latest news with #Longhorn
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Longhorn DeShon Elliott signs two-year extension with Steelers
Former Longhorn DeShon Elliott signs two-year extension with Steelers At Texas, Elliott starred in the secondary, earning first-team All-Big 12 and unanimous All-American honors as a junior in 2017. Former Texas Longhorns standout safety DeShon Elliott has signed a two-year, $12.5 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers, including $9.21 million in guarantees, according to multiple reports. The new deal secures Elliott's place in Pittsburgh through the 2027 NFL season. Elliott, 28, is coming off one of the best seasons of his NFL career. In 2024, he appeared in 15 games—starting 14—and posted a career-high 108 total tackles, six passes defended, one interception, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. He also allowed a passer rating of just 88.8 as the nearest defender, marking his lowest coverage rating since his rookie campaign in 2019. The Dallas native originally joined the Steelers on a two-year, $6 million free-agent deal before the 2024 season. After just one year, Elliott has more than doubled his value, earning a significant raise and long-term security as a key figure in the Steelers' secondary. Elliott entered the league as a sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2018 NFL Draft, though he missed his entire rookie season due to injury. He spent three seasons in Baltimore before signing one-year contracts with the Detroit Lions (2022) and Miami Dolphins (2023), ultimately landing in Pittsburgh, where he has become a cornerstone of the defense. At Texas, Elliott starred in the secondary, earning first-team All-Big 12 and unanimous All-American honors as a junior in 2017. That season, he led the conference with six interceptions—two of which he returned for touchdowns.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texas Longhorns look to capitalize on star-studded recruiting weekend
Texas Longhorns look to capitalize on star-studded recruiting weekend The Texas Longhorns and coach Steve Sarkisian hosted a weekend of huge official visits. This was the second of three weekends in June for official visits and Texas just hosted one of the most star-studded in the nation. recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman has the intel on several of the prospects that were on the 40 Acres in the past few days, including some predictions. Spiegelman predicts five-star OT Felix Ojo (Mansfield, TX) will commit to Texas. Last week, Ojo cancelled an official visit to Oklahoma before heading to Austin for the UT OV. "There is a sense that Texas closed strong on this official visit and left a big enough impression on the elite OT ahead of his July commitment," Spiegelman said. "There is a strong sense that Ojo wont leave the state to play college football." The Austin-based recruiting expert also projects five-star LB Xavier Griffin (Gainesville, GA) will end up a Longhorn too. "It's down to Texas and Alabama with a June 26 commitment on the horizon," Spiegelman said. "No team has come on stronger with the four-star EDGE than the Longhorns. There's a sense Texas made another step forward with Griffin and his mother back in Austin this weekend." Another elite prospect in Austin this weekend was four-star DB Samari Matthews (Cornelius, NC), who was on campus for the second time. "My experience in Austin was amazing -- from the staff and players to the energy of the city itself," Matthews told Rivals. "What excites me most about the chance to play for Coach Sark is knowing he pushes his players to be their best in every way -- both on and off the field. At Texas, I know I'll be challenged to grow into the best version of myself, which aligns with the goals I've set for my future." Texas' main competition for Matthews is South Carolina. "The opportunity to learn from Coach Orphey and Coach (Duane) Akina ... I got to do some board work with both of them and let's just say we had a time. That experience made the idea of becoming a Longhorn even more exciting," Matthews said. "I'm feeling really good. I got a good look at the vision they see for me. My comfort with Coach Sark and Coach O is high. Those are my guys. Austin is nice city for sure." Spiegelman says he's close to calling it for the Longhorns. Four-star OT Zaden Krempin (Prosper, TX) is emerging as a Texas lean. He tells Rivals UT is rising to the top of his list. "I'm a perfect fit here," Krempin said. "Texas is only doing 45 official visits. They told us how they only wanted to bring guys that fit their program." LSU and Texas A&M both made a good impression on the North Texas prospect, but the Longhorns knocked it out of the park with Krempin over the weekend. "It was incredible, he said. "Texas has something special happening here. You can just feel it. I got to see a detailed plan for me from the strength and development piece to the OL room. Overall, it was awesome from the moment we got here. It was a good time. Austin is a cool place." Four-star LB Brayden Rouse (Marietta, GA) was also in town this weekend. Spiegelman says Texas is trending with the blue-chip. "They did a great job making me a priority for them and showing that," Rouse said. "Texas impressed me." Texas is battling Tennessee of Rouse. "The visit was great," he said. "It was good for me to get my family on campus and see what the school has to offer. I was impressed on their presentation on how they see me fitting in their scheme and program. I also had a great time spending time with the coaches and continuing to strengthen those relationships ... Texas has always been a school I could potentially see myself going to." Four-star DL Bryce Perry-Wright (Buford, GA) was on the 40 Acres for the sixth time this weekend. He says Texas is at the top of his list with Texas A&M and Clemson. "The overall visit was great," the Georgia native said. "I really felt like I could see myself fitting in at Texas — not just as a player, but as a person. There was a strong sense of belonging being on campus this weekend. The energy was good and I could honestly picture myself there." Perry-Wright tells Rivals he's very comfortable with the coaches, the city of Austin and principles of the Texas program. "It's a system I feel like I'd thrive in," he continued. "Bonding with the players and coaches, and just being around everybody again was a real highlight. The city itself and the atmosphere around Austin are special and the overall vibe from the people I was around this weekend made a strong impression. They showed real belief in me and my ability to make an impact early. That meant a lot. The coaches made me feel welcomed, valued and like they truly want me to be a part of what they're building." Follow us on X/Twitter at @LonghornsWire.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Longhorn Arthur Kaluma drawing interest ahead of the NBA Draft
Former Longhorn Arthur Kaluma drawing interest ahead of the NBA Draft With the NBA Draft just days away, a former Longhorn has been busy meeting with teams. Big man Arthur Kaluma is testing the predraft process for the third time with no intentions of turning back. Now out of college eligibility, he hopes to impress teams during draft workouts. One of the teams that has shown interest in Kaluma is the Portland Trail Blazers. After a workout with Portland on June 10th, Kaluma asked what he was trying to show during the draft process this time. He said his focus is on fundamentals and showing that he can knock down shots. "Just my fundamentals, my tools," Kaluma said. "(I have a) 7'1 wingspan, I'm 6'8. I can move my feet on the ball, defend one through five, and then I can knock down open shots and make good reads." Although Kaluma still has areas to improve, he entered the draft process with four years of experience. During his college career, he never averaged less than 10 points and five rebounds in a season. He also steadily improved from three-point range and showed that he could make adjustments. His desire to improve will appeal to NBA teams as they look for players who can thrive at the next level. During the 2024-2025 campaign, the Arizona native was one of the Longhorns bright spots. The talented forward averaged 12.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists a game. While proving to be one of the Longhorns' most reliable players, Kaluma recorded eight double-doubles. He was the team's second-best player behind Tre Johnson, who is expected to be a top-ten pick. At the moment, Kaluma is projected to be a late second-round pick or an undrafted free agent. Even if he is not drafted, the former Longhorn should be able to compete at the NBA Summer League. Regardless of how the draft plays out, it is a good sign for Kaluma that teams are bringing him in for workouts.
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love reveals what he loves the most about Matthew Golden
Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love reveals what he loves the most about Matthew Golden Jordan Love gives glowing review of Matthew Golden After being selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, expectations are high for Matthew Golden. The former Longhorn is expected to be a key piece of the Packers passing attack. So far, he has made a good first impression with his new team. In his only season with Texas, Golden was one of the best wide receivers in the SEC. While catching passes from Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, he added 987 receiving yards and nine touchdowns to his resume. He also averaged 61.7 yards per game. Due to his speed, Golden was hard to stop and saw his stock rise heading into the draft. During his first few months with the Packers, Golden has shown the traits that made him successful with the Longhorns. They have stood out to his new quarterback, Jordan Love, so far in minicamp as he gets more comfortable with his newest weapon. "He's been looking good," Love said. "I think from the get go, from Day 1 when he got here, he's showcased just the versatility he has running routes, the speed he has, and his ability to catch." At the moment, Golden is focused on learning a new offense before the start of the new season. That is something that rookies are doing league-wide. However, Golden seems more comfortable every day, which Love has noticed. "I think for him, every day he's been getting better just understanding what he needs to do," Love added. "You could tell the first couple days there might be a couple routes here and there where he just might be thinking a little bit too much out there, and not just going out there and playing fast, which is expected for some one who just got here and is learning the whole offense." While the regular season is still months away, Golden's play has stood out ahead of what could be a special rookie season.
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Longhorns catcher Rylan Galvan adds to his trophy case
Longhorns catcher Rylan Galvan adds to his trophy case Longhorns catcher Rylan Galvan receives national honors for his play While the Longhorns 2025 campaign is over, honors are still rolling in. The latest Longhorn to add some hardware to their trophy case is catcher Rylan Galvan, who has been named an All-American. After a career year, Galvan's latest award comes as no surprise. During his junior season, Galvan appeared in 56 games and was an anchor in the Longhorns lineup. He set career highs in home runs with 15, RBI with 47, and hits with 55. For the third straight year, the Texas native set new career highs in games played and took his play to another level. This is not the first time Galvan has made headlines since the Longhorns' regular season ended. Last week, he was named a finalist for the Buster Poset Award. Each year, the award is given to the best catcher in Division 1 baseball. The Longhorns star will know his fate for that honor by the end of the month. Whenever Galvan was in the lineup, Texas had a bat that could make a difference and a catcher pitchers could trust. He caught nine runners stealing and only committed four errors. The Sinton High School product finished the 2025 campaign with a .992 fielding percentage. Due to his stellar season, Galvan's stock is on the rise. He only has one year left of eligibility and has the potential to be a very good star at the next level. Regardless of what the future holds, he has made the most of his time at Texas while continually earning national recognition for his play.
