Texas State football was able to retain key offensive and defensive pieces for its 2026 roster. Regardless, head coach GJ Kinne and his staff still managed to add some players who have opportunities to impact the Bobcats’ debut season in the Pac-12.
Veteran transfers have often proven effective as depth. However, Texas State’s 2026 recruiting class is the best in program history, and Kinne said in December that there will be a few freshmen fighting for playing time.
MORE: Texas State football prepared to take Pac-12 by storm despite light transfer portal haul
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Here are some newcomers to know as Texas State prepares for spring football:
LaKeyleon Graves
The highest-rated recruit in Texas State history, Kinne raved about LaKeyleon Graves when recapping the recent recruiting class. A two-way player out of Kilgore High School, Kinne labeled Graves as a top-five player in the state early into the scouting process.Â
The head coach pitched Graves on a potential two-way role in college, although the freshman will likely start his career at wide receiver. Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks will be serious competition for a freshman looking for playing time, but they’ll also be strong mentors. The veterans have thrived in Kinne’s offense for two seasons, each surpassing 1,000 yards in 2025.
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Graves is an early enrollee, but he may not play a huge role in 2026. It’ll be interesting to see how the historic recruit performs in the spring, and perhaps even in the fall.Â
La Vernia’s Sean Garza tries to break the tackle of Kilgore’s Lakeyleon Graves during the second half of a Class 4A Division I state semifinal football game at McLane Stadium.
Jerry Larson/Contributor
William Boone
Texas State will have to comb through a bevy of options at left tackle to find Dorion Strawn’s replacement. Near the top of the list is North Carolina transfer William Boone. He took a medical redshirt in 2025 after starting in the Tarheels’ first three games.
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The Bobcats are returning the nucleus of their offense. Quarterback Brad Jackson, running back Greg Burrell and wide receivers Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr. are all proven contributors, but none of it will work without protection. Strawn’s reliability on Texas State’s blind side was key to the team’s success, and it might be difficult for Kinne to entrust the position to a player without proven experience.
Of course, things will change over the next seven months. There could be other players who reveal themselves or evolve as practices build. However, at 6-foot-6, 340 pounds, with experience against Power Four competition, he’ll be the one to beat.
Xavier Warren
Another highlight from Texas State’s 2026 recruiting class is former Georgetown wide receiver Xavier Warren, whose speed stood out among Central Texas recruits.
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Although he will have a chance to prove himself on offense, Kinne said the staff could see Warren as a defensive back. The freshman did not play two ways as Graves did in high school, but he did play corner on occasion for the Eagles and is open to the idea, a source told the Statesman.
Warren isn’t a lock to be a defensive back. Seeing which position groups he practices with in the spring could be telling as the Bobcats figure out where he best fits.
Javante Mackey
Javante Mackey looked like a rising star for Arkansas State in 2023. He recorded 84 total tackles (52 solo) with 9½ for a loss that season and jumped to Memphis, hoping to replicate that success.
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An injury prevented him from ever playing for the Tigers, and he returned to the Red Wolves in 2025. After struggling with a position shift from weakside linebacker to middle, Mackey left the team after five games and eventually landed with Texas State.
It’s hard to know what to make of Mackey’s 2025 season. Did the injury hamper his athleticism? Perhaps the staff changes that Arkansas State underwent led to some difficulties. Regardless, if the Bobcats can bring the best out of Mackey, he could be a game-changer for a linebacker-needy defense.