Texas Longhorns Participant Highlight: Gadget Weapon Ryan Niblett

Four video games into the 2025 season, redshirt sophomore Ryan Niblett has undeniably been an X-factor for the Texas Longhorns.

Despite incomes time on each side of the ball for the Longhorns previously, his main impression this season has come as a particular groups returner.

Getting off to an excellent begin and displaying himself as a dependable contributor in that spot, Niblett may be anticipated to take care of significance all through Southeastern Conference play.

This summer season, particular groups coordinator Jeff Banks put three guys up for rivalry at returner: working again Quintrevion Wisner, vast receiver DeAndre Moore Jr., and Niblett.

“Three veteran guys that we trust, and that’s the big word. Trust,” Banks said on July 29, per Inside Texas.

In Week 1 against Ohio State, it was Wisner who recorded Texas’s sole kick return and Niblett who recorded its sole punt return. But with Wisner out against San José State the following week, Niblett handled both punts and kicks.

Then, the games against UTEP and Sam Houston saw Niblett flourish as a returner. In Week 3, Niblett returned two kicks for 43 yards and, more impressively, totaled 72 yards across three punt returns. Against the Bearkats, he once again excelled on punts, accumulating 56 return yards, also adding a 22-yard kickoff return.

Factoring in his 39-yard reception and 6-yard run, Niblett had 123 all-purpose yards in Week 4.

In his bye week press conference on Monday, head coach Steve Sarkisian lauded Niblett as being an “explosive player” on punt returns two weeks in a row.

Niblett has proven, beyond his athleticism, why Banks considered him a trustworthy option ahead of the season.

A four-star in the 2023 class out of Aldine Eisenhower High School in Houston, Niblett was categorized as a wide receiver on 247Sports, but his ability to play both sides of the ball was relevant in his recruitment.

In March 2022, 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks wrote that Niblett “owns the build of a slot receiver or cornerback” and evaluated him as someone who “projects as a high-major impact player with long-term NFL Draft potential.”

Now in his third year at Texas, Niblett has played three different positions while on the Forty Acres — four if you now want to consider him a return specialist.

During his redshirt freshman season in 2024, Niblett recorded three tackles as a defensive back and both carries and receptions offensively. One of his eight carries as a running back last season was a one-yard touchdown run against the UL Monroe Warhawks. Niblett moved to the backfield due to Texas’ injuries at the position.

“He just did it without any questions and then just to see him go score after all this work he’s put in to learn the position in such a short amount of time, like, that’s the stuff we celebrate, because that’s someone who’s bought into the culture, someone who’s bought in and wants to be a part of this team,” now-Texas alum Jake Majors stated about Niblett final fall, by way of a July 30 Burnt Orange Nation article.

In 2025 spring practices, Niblett returned his focus to defensive back, but again transitioned to the offensive side of the ball this fall to concentrate on wide receiver. Now his speed is being employed on special teams as well.

Through 4 video games, Niblett’s versatile utilization has been on show.

With his coaches and teammates’ confidence behind him, Niblett’s manufacturing ought to proceed to be very important to Texas because it motors by its SEC schedule.