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FILE – Texas linebacker Colin Simmons (11) celebrates with teammates after an interception during the first half against Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo\/Eric Gay)<\/p>\n
Eric Gay\/AP<\/p>\n
It\u2019s once again Red River Rivalry time in Dallas, with the No. 1 Texas Longhorns<\/a> and the Oklahoma Sooners entering the Cotton Bowl for their annual showdown.<\/p>\n And as usual, it\u2019s a homecoming for over a dozen former Dallas-area high school football players now returning for either side.<\/p>\n Prior to Saturday\u2019s big matchup, check out 10 former Dallas-area products to keep an eye on at the Red River Rivalry.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Texas<\/p>\n Colin Simmons<\/p>\n Dallas Morning News\u2019 All-Area Defensive Player of Year: Duncanville\u2019s DL\/LB Colin Simmons.<\/p>\n Tom Fox\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n The star of the Texas defense is likely playing in his last Red River game\u00a0\u2014 he looks like a lock to be a top-5 pick in the 2027 NFL draft. And even that might be underselling.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Once The Dallas Morning News’ Defensive Player of the Year<\/a>, Simmons was ranked as the fifth-best prospect in the state of Texas when he came out of Duncanville and signed with the Longhorns. He broke out almost immediately. Now a junior, he leads the nation with 7.5 sacks entering Saturday\u2019s rivalry matchup.<\/p>\n He gave Tennessee fits in Texas’ most recent win, tying a program record with five sacks. We\u2019ll see if he wreaks havoc on the OU offense as well, and if he has any more \u201ccolorful\u201d celebrations<\/a> against the hated Sooners.<\/p>\n Zina Umeozulu\u00a0<\/p>\n Allen’s defensive end Zina Umeozulu (9) tries to get past Prosper’s Logan Cahill (72) in the first half during a high school football game between Allen and Prosper, Friday, Oct. 27, 2023 in Prosper, Texas. Prosper won 37-36.<\/p>\n Matt Strasen\/Special Contributor<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to be one of the most underrated players on the team when you\u2019re lining up on the other side of Simmons.\u00a0Umeozulu might be just that.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Allen grad, a powerful 272-pounder who\u2019s tabbed 13 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble so far in 2026. will be coming off Texas’ other edge on Saturday.<\/p>\n Trevor Goosby<\/p>\n Texas offensive lineman Trevor Goosby picks up Texas quarterback Arch Manning after Texas scored a touchdown during the second half an NCAA college football game against San Jose State, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo\/Michael Thomas)<\/p>\n Michael Thomas\/AP<\/p>\n Another Longhorn who looks like a sure bet to go in the first round in April, the Melissa product is a three-year starter on the Texas offensive line who will likely end his collegiate career with over 30 starts under his belt.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n According to NFL Mock Draft Database, the 6-7, 325-pound Goosby\u00a0has a composite ranking of No. 10, meaning he\u2019s projected to crack the top 10 in the draft.<\/p>\n Alex January<\/p>\n Defensive tackle, Duncanville<\/p>\n Another piece on the Horns’ formidable defensive front, January has compiled three tackles with a sack and two pass breakups so far in 2026.<\/p>\n The junior out of Duncanville is the son of Mike January, who played linebacker at Texas from 1983-86.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Kaliq Lockett<\/p>\n Sachse wide receiver Kaliq Lockett (5) celebrates after picking up a first down during the second half of a District 9-6A high school football game against Wylie East on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Wylie.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n The sophomore Sachse speedster is still a project for the Longhorns, having only caught one pass thus far this season. But the former track star is liable to break loose whenever he gets the ball in his hands.<\/p>\n Lockett scored the first touchdown of his Longhorns career in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan last season.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Oklahoma<\/p>\n Little Elm High School quarterback John Mateer (4) throws a pass during the first half as Little Elm High School hosted Frisco Independence High School at the Little Elm ISD Athletic Complex on Friday night, October 25, 2019. (Stewart F. House\/Special Contributor)<\/p>\n Stewart F. House\/Special Contributor<\/p>\n John Mateer<\/p>\n You could look back and point to last season\u2019s Red River matchup and surmise that that\u2019s where it started going wrong for Mateer.<\/p>\n It was a 23-6 loss to Texas in which Mateer threw for three interceptions and no touchdowns in what may have been the single-worst start of his career.<\/p>\n Now he\u2019s off to a bumpy start in 2026, with four interceptions and a pair of lost fumbles through four games for the 2-2 Sooners.<\/p>\n Mateer needs a bounce-back in the worst way\u00a0\u2014 no doubt a win over the No. 1-ranked Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl would go a long way toward that.<\/p>\n Parker Livingstone<\/p>\n Lovejoy sophomore wide receiver Parker Livingstone (18) scores a touchdown during the first half of a high school football game against Frisco Memorial at Lovejoy High School, Thursday, October 7, 2021. (Brandon Wade\/Special Contributor)<\/p>\n Brandon Wade\/Special Contributor<\/p>\n Livingstone\u2019s already won this game\u00a0\u2014 from the other side.<\/p>\n The Lovejoy product had a pair of catches for 29 yards as a Texas freshman last season and put together an impressive first season before things between him and the Horns went awry<\/a> in the offseason.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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