AUSTIN, TEXAS - APRIL 18: Rasheem Biles #3 of the Texas Longhorns during the Texas Spring Football Game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on April 18, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Scott Wachter/Getty Images for ONIT) | Getty Images for ONIT AUSTIN, Texas — During the spring, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian revealed that Colin Simmons used to wreck practices with his disruptiveness off the edge. Causing similar problems for the offense this fall? Transfer linebacker Rasheem Biles, the former Pitt standout whose commitment to Texas represented a huge early coup for defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. “That effect, I’m seeing that with Rasheem Biles. I mean, he’s a problem. Guy’s a problem when he rushes, he can do it on special teams, I mean, he does it a lot of different ways,” Sarkisian said on Monday. Initially a special teams standout for the Panthers, Biles was a punt-block specialist as a freshman in 2023, leading the nation and tying the school’s single-season record with three blocks before primarily playing on the field-goal block unit last season. What role Biles might play on special teams for coordinator Jeff Banks remains to be seen — Biles does also have extensive experience on kick return, kick coverage, and punt return units — but what isn’t in question is the role that the 6’1, 222-pounder will play as the projected starting Will linebacker for Muschamp. “He’s athletic, he’s fast, he’s versatile. He can rush the passer. He’s really good in pass coverage,” Sarkisian said as preseason camp started. Even without pads, Biles made a quick impact in camp, breaking up a pass about 40 yards downfield during the first practice last Wednesday, according to the Texas head coach. A former high school running back, wide receiver, and defensive back, Biles has maintained the ball skills and playmaking ability he showed at Pickerington Central in Ohio, recording three career interceptions at linebacker. For the position, the volume is solid, but what may be more impressive is the fact that Biles has returned all three for touchdowns, including a 75-yard return against Louisville last season.
'He's a problem.' Steve Sarkisian on Rasheem Biles pic.twitter.com/bFCrCVf8T4 — Evan Vieth (@EvanVieth) August 10, 2026
Notwithstanding the poor tackling attempts, one might watch Biles break those arm tackles down the sideline in a vacuum and assume that he’s still an offensive skill position player. It’s the type of splash play that quickly sells a head coach looking for an impact portal player. “I was fired up about him when I turned on his tape and was like, this guy’s picking off balls and running back for touchdowns and sacking the quarterback,” Sarkisian said. “I was like, that’s our kind of guy, right?” Twelve career sacks and 14 hurries speak to the ability that Biles has coming downhill, a clear indication that Biles is more than just a former defensive back who can still play in coverage — he’s lethal in attack like bigger-bodied linebackers who can also play on the edge with 183 tackles and 31.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons.
The plays put on tape by Biles sold Muschamp as quickly as Sarkisian, but there was one problem. Muschamp couldn’t get a reply to the numerous texts that he sent. Was Biles not interested? Had Muschamp not said the magic words? Nope. Old number. “I got down here for dinner and Coach Muschamp told me he had been trying to get me for a while, but he showed me his phone and he was texting my old phone,” Biles said in April. “If he had the right number, I would have been at Texas sooner.” The potential for this year’s team, looking for a linebacker to replace the playmaking ability of Anthony Hill Jr., put the Horns over the top amidst interest from around the country. “That was one of the top things I was looking at in a school out of the portal,” Biles said. “I was looking for an opportunity to win a national championship and compete at a top level and I feel like that’s all here.” The fit with Muschamp only made the decision easier. “He’s going to put you in position to play to your strengths and he’s never going to put you in a bad position,” Biles said. “This defense is meant for everybody to make plays. Everybody can get to the ball, get your sacks, interceptions, tackles for loss, you just need to do your part and it will come to you.” Right now, that’s happening in practice, and as with Simmons, Sarkisian is confident that the way that Biles plays on defense during preseason camp will help the entire team. “I want Colin to make it hard on Trevor [Goosby] and Melvin [Siani] every day,“ Sarkisian said. ”I want Rasheem to make it hard on our guards and make it hard on our backs every day because that’s iron sharpens iron, and that’s how we’re going to get better offensively.“