The pass rush for the Texas Longhorns could be even more potent during the 2026 season if new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp can land a commitment from former Florida Gators edge Jayden Woods, who
is visiting the Forty Acres on Friday, according to a report from Horns247.
Woods has three seasons of eligibility remaining and is ranked as the No. 8 overall player and the No. 2 edge in the 247Sports transfer rankings.
From Mill Valley in the Kansas City area, Woods received more than 30 offers during his high school recruitment, taking official visits to Penn State, Purdue, Tennessee, and Wisconsin in addition to Florida, choosing the Gators after flipping from the Nittany Lions late in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Woods was a consensus four-star prospect ranked as the No. 142 player nationally and the No. 14 edge, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
After enrolling early in Gainesville, Woods began creating buzz during the spring and summer before a Freshman All-SEC campaign that saw the 6’3, 248-pounder appear in all 12 games, starting two and recording 28 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, and one pass broken up.
The transfer portal rankings and athleticism of Woods speak to his remaining upside — his vertical almost 40 inches and he was powerful enough in high school win the Kansas 6A state championship in discus and shot put in addition to running a sub-12 second 100-meter dash as a sophomore.
Before Woods even made his debut for the Gators, he made two Freaks’ Lists after squatting 555 pounds and power cleaning 365 pounds.
“He’s a pro. Very intense,” fellow edge rusher Kamran James said in November. “He loves the game, he loves to work. That’s the hardest thing for some young players to do: fall in love with the grind after practice, the recovery, the extra film, things like that. And he’s already on it. That’s what puts him ahead of some other freshmen.”
So there’s no question that Woods would become an exciting — and likely expensive — addition to the Longhorns program if Muschamp and company can secure his services.
