Sarkisian recaps NFL draft, says recruiting will 'hammer' state of Texas at Houston event
AUSTIN (KXAN) — With spring practices in the rear view mirror, Steve Sarkisian and the rest of the Texas coaching staff are on the recruiting trail, trying to find the rest of the 2026 class and beyond.
Sarkisian took some time to talk with the Touchdown Club of Houston on Monday, covering his thoughts on the NFL draft, how the spring practice period went and what’s on the horizon before the players reconvene for summer conditioning in June ahead of full camp.
“May is a unique month for us,” he said. “We’re in a transitional phase right now. All of our coaches are hitting the road for recruiting and the players are wrapping up school and finals before having a little time off.”
The early signing period in December has thrown the recruiting cycle into hyperspeed, and it’s truly one of those “adapt or die” scenarios that Sarkisian likes to refer to. While recruits can still sign their letters of intent during the traditional window in February, many elect to do it early so that they enroll in the following spring semester. That way, they are on campus for spring practices and can get a jump on learning how to be a college football player.
Sarkisian said he doesn’t do in-home visits with recruits anymore, something he once thought was the most important part of the job. He said assistant coaches take care of that now and they aren’t only recruiting for the next year’s class, but also the one after that.
“The whole thing has sped up that way, so my perspective has adjusted some,” he said. “Being adaptable is the key right now, and being well-organized about where your coaches are going and what they’re trying to do.”
Longhorns coaches are “hammering” the recruiting trail in Texas, Sarkisian said. The Longhorns’ spring practice period goes a little longer than some schools, which puts them behind a little bit, but Sarkisian said his staff works efficiently that they’re able to make up the ground they might give.
Spring practices were about teaching, especially the 22 early-enrollee freshmen and five transfers who were on campus. It was one of the reasons why Sarkisian declined to have a traditional spring game; he didn’t feel like a scrimmage like that would benefit them the most.
As more transfers and recruits come in over the summer, they can get up to speed quickly and be with the rest of the group that’s been ready to go since late April.
“We should be able to hit the ground running pretty good in June and July, and be pretty aggressive with that,” he said.
Thoughts on Quinn Ewers being drafted by the Dolphins
There’s no bigger fan of Quinn Ewers than Sarkisian. He said he “felt” for Ewers being drafted near the end of the last round, but landing in Miami with an organization that runs a very similar offense to the Longhorns will be huge for his development.
“I wish he had gotten drafted higher, but at the end of the day, if i could have picked a place that I think is a great fit for him, it’s Miami,” Sarkisian said. “There will be a level of comfort with the style of play, and he’ll have some great weapons on the outside.”
He’s also annoyed by the double standard some media members are pushing about Ewers staying another year in college to make more money through NIL and perhaps improve his draft stock instead of taking the opportunity to be a professional when it was given to him.
“Here’s a guy that said, I want to leave a legacy at Texas and I want to play in the NFL, and now they’re knocking it for not taking the money in college,” Sarkisian said. “I don’t know which side of the fence everybody is on, but in the end, it just speaks to his character. He believed in what he stood for.”
Kelvin Banks Jr. moving to guard? Not so fast, Sarkisian said
As soon as Kelvin Banks Jr. got to campus, he was the Longhorns’ starting left tackle. He started 42 games in three seasons, racking up numerous honors and trophies for his superior play along the way. When people started asking Sarkisian if Banks would move inside and play guard in the NFL, he thought it was funny.
“I kind of laughed at it,” he said. “I get it, the pundits out there are trying to rationalize, make a story for this, that or whatever … whenever a new player comes into our program, I’d always tell him to be like Kelvin. Who he is on the field and off the field, the way he carries himself, his work ethic and the pride he puts into his work.”
During a press conference following the first round of the draft, first-year Saints head coach Kellen Moore said one thing he liked most about Banks was his versatility. That doesn’t necessarily mean Moore has plans to move Banks to a guard spot, but he’s going into the summer with an open mind.
“We’re going to give this plenty of flexibility throughout the offseason process,” Moore said. “A lot of guys go through this, and we want to put our best five on the field and we feel we have depth beyond that.”
Moore said Banks is “everything you’d want your organization to represent.”
“You meet him and you’re quickly gravitated to him as a person,” Moore said. “And when you turn on the tape, he gets after people.”
