Texas edge Lance Jackson (40) grabs the uniform of linebacker Justin Cryer (28) while running a drill as Texas holds their second practice of the summer in preparation for the 2026 season, Aug. 6, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns edge rusher Lance Jackson (4) sings a poster for a fan on fan day at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aril 18, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns defensive end Lance Jackson (40) blocks Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Brady Norton (70) in the fourth quarter of the Citrus Bowl against the Wolverines at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 31, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns defensive end Lance Jackson (40) tries to make a play against Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in the Lone Star Showdown in Austin, Texas, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025.
Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Hero Kanu (93) talks to edge rusher Lance Jackson (40) during the game against UTEP at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sep. 13, 2025.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
AUSTIN — Lance Jackson is hardly a newcomer to this Texas football team.
Even if his roster designation says he’s only been here a year.
In actuality, the sophomore edge rusher from Texarkana is just a new version of himself from last season. A better version, at that.
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He showed up very well as a freshman and was so promising he’s all but ticketed in as the starting defensive end opposite Colin Simmons. You may have heard of Simmons. And you’re going to hear a lot more of Jackson in Year 2 and beyond.
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“Mainly for me, I was just focused on getting bigger, focused more on the IQ of the game,” Jackson said last week. “Just trying to be smart.”
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He’s seriously addressed every facet of his game and intent on developing a stronger mindset, both physically and mentally.
Like most freshmen, even including the uber-talented Simmons in his first year, Jackson had no real clue what he was doing in his first season. Oh, he was good doing whatever he did, relying mostly on instincts and raw ability.
When Simmons was asked Thursday when he had his breakthrough moment, he laughed and said, “I don’t know. That’s a good question actually. I think I just said, “Screw it.”
Is that what he’s also advising Jackson and backup Zina Umeozulu to do?
“Yeah, screw it,” Simmons said. “Go make a play. Go be yourself.”
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That mindset worked pretty well for Simmons, who had nine sacks as a freshman and an SEC-high 12 last season. His 21 leave him just 13½ shy of the modern SEC record of 34½, set by Alabama All-American and current Houston Texans star Will Anderson Jr. (Sacks weren’t an official NCAA stat until 2000, and Bama’s Derrick Thomas had 52 from 1985-88.)
Is breaking Anderson’s mark a goal of Simmons in what is certain to be his final college season before becoming a top 10 NFL Draft pick next spring?
“I ain’t never thought about that,” he said Thursday. “If it happens, it happens. It’s doable.”
Jackson played in all 13 games and registered 16 tackles last season. His two sacks tied him for 14th with Kade Phillips, a freshman cornerback from Missouri City. There are a lot more sacks where those two sacks came from. Jackson also was credited with four quarterback hurries.
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But he hardly knew the strategy behind what he was asked to do.
So how does he describe his first season in a Longhorn uniform?
“Just being out there,” Jackson said matter of factly with a chuckle. “I feel like I know what’s going on now. I can scan the offense and kind of get an idea of what’s going on. Last year I was just playing hard. Now I know what to do, and then I can also look at the offense and maybe see what’s coming.”
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I tell you. Lance Jackson is coming.
So is true freshman Richard Wesley, who figures to see a lot of action in 2026.
“He’s just got it all,” Simmons said. “From the run, from the pass, from how he carries himself on and off the field. how he takes his notes. He’s a dawg. I always tell Richie he mess around, he’ll be better than me. Honestly. Truthfully.”
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and label either Wesley or Jackson a star in the making quite yet. But the latter reshaped his body, added some pounds to his 6-5 frame to now weigh 175 pounds, up 20 pounds at the end of last season.
“I ate a lot of Chick-fil-A,” he said, “but trying to eat clean, too. So I’m not just getting fat.”
And quite frankly the tanned, curly-haired player looks chiseled and looks the part of a guy who could replace Simmons in 2027. But first things first.
Simmons looks more muscular as well and seems to have added strength.
“I believe I’m stronger,” Simmons said. “I don’t really know what I bench (press). I just feel stronger. I feel it.”
Asked what is the strength of this Texas defense, Simmons said, “The defensive coordinator. The coaches set the tone.”
Texas knows Simmons and Jackson can rush the passer, but new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp wants his ends to ratchet up their run defense and not just focusing on the more glamorous stat that is sacks. The Longhorns have been stout in that area ever since Steve Sarkisian and deposed defensive boss Pete Kwiatkowski arrived in Austin in 2021.
Since their first season when Texas got ripped for 202 yards a game on the ground to rank 114th nationally and gave up 26 rushing touchdowns, the Longhorn defense was elite in that category under Kwiatkowski. It never ranked below 33rd in the country and was rated 14th, 13th and third the last three years and never allowed more than 110 yards a game.
“We’re definitely focusing on the run a lot right now,” Jackson said. “Champ wants us to focus on the run a lot. We really haven’t gotten to our full bag with the pass rush. We’re just focused on stopping the run right now.”
Texas has had its share of top players up front from NFL star Byron Murphy II and All-American T’Vondre Sweat and Alfred Collins as well as Keondre Coburn and Moro Ojomo.
Jackson should emerge as one as well sooner than later. He has as big an upside as his older brother Landon, an All-SEC edge rusher for Arkansas who was a third-round pick by the Bills in 2025. Big brother’s been a big resource for Lance just like he is for Wesley and other Longhorns now.
He’s fine-tuning his game and being asked to go after offensive tackles like newcomer Melvin Siani from Wake Forest, who’s been described as a “nasty” blocker up front.
“He’s really good,” Jackson said of Siani. “Really hard worker. He’s never going to back down from a fight.”
When I asked Jackson if his grasp of what Muschamp wants makes him feel like a veteran already, he said, “Oh yeah, I do. I feel way older. I’m taking people under my wing. Like Richard Wesley. He’s really a dawg. He’s going to be a really good pass rusher this year. He’s going to get to play a lot.”
Wesley is a five-star freshman who initially committed to Oregon before shifting to Texas. He was ranked the eighth best prospect in the nation by ESPN. He showed out in the spring game and should press for some quality minutes in Muschamp’s rotation.
Texas is loaded in its defensive front with stalwarts like returnees Hero Kanu and Alex January in the starting lineup. The depth is noticeable with returner Maraad Watson and Umeozulu along with Arkansas transfer Ian Geffrard and rising sophomore Justus Terry.
Simmons labeled the 6-5, 289-pound Terry “an NFL talent.” Jackson said the massive second-year player from Manchester, Ga., is “creating havoc a lot.”
At times, Jackson will shift inside as well to give offenses different looks, get a quicker athlete in the middle and allow Muschamp to insert another talented pass rusher like second-year end Brad Spence from Arkansas on the field to get added pressure on the quarterback. Spence had six sacks last year in limited play in his first year as a Longhorn.
“I definitely want to be able to stop the run,” Jackson said. “I mean, I feel like I got bigger for a reason. That’s the main reason.”
He’ll get no argument from Muschamp, who will be much more aggressive than his predecessor and bring pressure from more angles. That’s not lost on his players.
Jackson and Simmons love the scheme and style of play Muschamp is teaching. And demanding. Simmons called it “just violence and up there.”
Jackson too revels in the more aggressive approach.
“I just feel like we’re in your face, getting after it, blitzing,” Jackson said. “I feel like for a lot of teams, it’s going to be hard to pick up all of our people. Somebody’s going to be open all the time. We’re coming.”