Steve Sarkisian reveals the two players who are going the hardest for Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — “Iron sharpens iron.”

In the zero-sum environment of practices and scrimmages, two players consistently going back and forth is as close to ideal as possible, and that type of scenario prompted Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian to brag on junior wide receiver Emmett Mosley and sophomore nickel back Graceson Littleton when asked about standout players from his film review of Saturday’s scrimmage, the second of preseason camp.

“They both had good scrimmages. I could argue the two hardest-playing players on our team right now are Graceson Littleton and Emmett Mosley, and they’re playing at an extremely high level. Not a good level. I’m talking extremely high level,” Sarkisian said on Monday.

One of those battles produced an interception for Littleton, who jumped a route run by Mosley, his second scrimmage interception this preseason after reading a screen pass and coming up with another pick in the first scrimmage that he returned 75 yards for a touchdown, recognizing formation and tendency to read the play quickly.

Early in camp, Littleton made a leaping interception playing in zone coverage against a crossing route.

For Littleton, it’s his first year in a new scheme under defensive coordinator Will Muschamp after a breakout season in 2025. If the spring represented an adjustment period for Littleton, who spent extra time in the film room with cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey during the summer, that period is over.

“I think Graceson has had a great camp,” Sarkisian said last week. “I think there was a learning curve and a transition in spring ball, but Graceson has quickly reminded us in a week and a half of how good of a football player he really is. He made a bunch of great plays Saturday — tackling, playing physical, smart, communicates well, and so I think he’s really earned the trust of Coach Muschamp, which is important.”

While Littleton demurred when asked whether he’s earned Muschamp’s trust, he did say last week that it’s a “completely different” scheme this year in the nickel that required Littleton to master the zone-match principles Muschamp employs.

“You could feel his confidence,” Sarkisian said.

In the Texas football facility, they call it “earned confidence,” built by Littleton over his eight starts in 2025 when he finished sixth on the team with 47 tackles (33 solo), broke up six passes, had three tackles for loss, forced two fumbles, and came up with two interceptions.

So even though the conference’s coaches didn’t even name Littleton to the All-SEC third team last week, there’s no question that they’ll notice him on film as the Florida product nears a sophomore season during which he’s poised to become even more of an impact player.

For Mosely, his standout play during preseason camp, which included two touchdown catches on Saturday, stands in stark contrast to his lack of availability in 2025.

“This time last year he wasn’t even practicing,” Sarkisian said. “Now he’s healthy, playing fast, and he’s coming off of the way he ended last season.”

The Stanford transfer didn’t make his Texas debut until the SEC opener, and it took time to establish a game-day rapport with quarterback Arch Manning as the 6’2, 199-pounder only had four receptions on his first nine targets before breaking out with four receptions for 53 yards and two touchdowns in the comeback victory over Mississippi State, including the go-ahead score in overtime.

Through the rest of the season, Mosley showed flashes, including another touchdown catch against Vanderbilt, but it’s clear that there’s another level of impact he can reach for the Longhorns.

“He’s a smart guy. Move on. You can put him anywhere on the field and he knows what he’s doing. He has great hands, shifty,” Texas junior wide receiver Cam Coleman said. “He’s really shifty for a 6’2 receiver. He’s really, real shifty.”

Mosley was not credited with any drops last season on 48 targets, according to Pro Football Focus, but it’s his athleticism after the catch that could allow him to truly break out in 2026 after forcing only three missed tackles last season. Another area of potential improvement? Connecting with Manning on deep balls — only two of his 10 targets 20-plus yards down the field last year resulted in receptions.

Of course, the potential for all of that still remains in the future, however rapidly approaching. For now, Littleton and Mosley are making each other better in practice every day, the consistent inputs that create big-time outputs in game-like situations.

“What’s interesting about that, they go against each other every day, and so when you talk about iron sharpening iron and two guys that push themselves every day, whether it’s in the pass game, the run game, it just shows. And then what happens? What’s the byproduct? They play good when the time comes,” Sarkisian said.

“Excited for them for this upcoming season.”