Bold opening: The Texas Longhorns face a high-stakes gamble as they await a waiver decision that could reshape their 2025 offensive line. And this is the part most people miss: the outcome hinges not on on-field performance alone, but on bureaucratic rulings that can redefine a team’s depth chart mid-season.
AUSTIN, Texas — Where Texas stands on the Laurance Seymore waiver remains unsettled, leaving the program caught between confidence and hesitation. Western Kentucky transfer Laurance Seymore is still pursuing an eligibility extension after missing the 2023 season with Akron because he didn’t transfer within an authorized portal window.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian offered a cautious update on Monday:
“We haven’t gotten anything back yet.”
With an offense needing another offensive line addition from the NCAA transfer portal, Sarkisian and offensive coordinator Kyle Flood brought Seymore aboard late last month in hopes of landing a starting left guard after several top portal targets didn’t come through.
But the move carried inherent risk. Texas remains unsure how the NCAA will rule on Seymore’s waiver, which he had already submitted when he signed with the Longhorns.
Sarkisian explained that the NCAA has allowed a re-submission with new information that could bolster Seymore’s case. “Nothing has been decided yet, so I’m hesitant to say I’m confident in much,” he said, “but I do think that with us having the opportunity to submit that waiver with our people, with some of the information Laurance was able to supply us, and some of the previous universities that he was at, we’ll see where it goes.”
Seymore began his college journey as a consensus four-star prospect in the 2021 class, committing to Miami out of Miami Central. He was ranked No. 183 overall and the No. 11 interior offensive lineman in the 247Sports Composite. His recruitment included offers from programs such as Arkansas, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina, Oregon, Penn State, and Tennessee.
In 2021, Seymore redshirted as a member of the scout team, making appearances against Central Connecticut State and Duke. The 2022 season saw six games with starts against Duke, Clemson, and Pittsburgh, during which he faced notable challenges in pass protection, allowing two sacks to Duke and another to Clemson.
The 2024 season marked a significant step forward. After missing the prior year, Seymore started at center and left guard for Akron (now Western Kentucky’s opponent in this context) and delivered improved pass protection, allowing only one quarterback hurry across 210 snaps while showing steady progress in the running game.
In 2025, Seymore earned a full-time starting role with Western Kentucky and garnered second-team All-American honors from the FWAA and Phil Steele. He allowed one sack, three quarterback hits, and four hurries, posting an 82.6 pass-blocking grade and a 63.9 run-blocking grade. There were some rough moments in the opener against Sam Houston, a match-up that also served as a benchmark against the common opponent Texas faced last season.
If Seymore wins another year of eligibility for the Longhorns, he would lift the floor of a line that struggled at times in 2025. Conversely, if the waiver is denied, questions will linger about how Flood managed his first NCAA transfer portal experiment in Austin—and about whether the Longhorns should have pursued alternative options earlier in the cycle.
Bottom line: while the decision is still pending, Texas is navigating a delicate balance between hope for immediate impact and the practical realities of NCAA oversight. The next update from the NCAA could either solidify Seymore’s presence on the depth chart or force Texas to chart a different course for its offensive line in the coming season.
Question for readers: Do you think the NCAA should grant a waiver in Seymore’s case, given his extensive transfer history and recent on-field improvements, or should teams be more cautious about granting additional eligible seasons? Share your perspective in the comments.
