Houston 's roster is stacked. It has talent. It has speed. It has tacklers. It has depth.
Both the offense and defense are in good hands following a tremendous offseason and year in which 10 wins were achieved under an awesome head coach, Willie Fritz .
Now that all the pieces are in place for the 2026-27 campaign, these potential breakout players are ready to take this program to the next level, and this is who those athletes could be.
Houston Cougars wide receiver Amare Thomas reacts during the first half against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Last season, Thomas nearly had a 1,000-yard season and is working to get to that mark this season, as he is arguably the new No. 1 in the offense Slade Nagle is running.
In his junior year, he was an All-Big 12 First Team and was the first Houston wide receiver since 2022 to have at least 966 yards. Imagine the next step he can take with the 67 receptions he hauled in last season, with the 12 touchdowns that were the ninth most in UH history. Get ready for the chemistry to be at an all-time high with his quarterback.
Now that the Cougars are in Year 2 of the Weigman experiment, the program could finally get over the hump and reach its first Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington. He proved on the field last year that he knows the playbook and is quick to adapt.
He has all the weapons on his side and a supportive coaching staff that knows he has what it takes to deliver some massive wins with his skill set. He has the arm strength and the mobility to operate in and out of the pocket with an offensive line that is ready to go to war for him.
The Cypress native started all 13 games last season and stayed healthy through the bumps in the road. As a three-time Big-12 Offensive Player of the Week Honoree with his 25 touchdowns, he has all the traits to reach his goals and the program's goals. Watch out for athleticism to show up every week.
It was only three seasons before Porter decided that he wanted to come to Houston to play football. He hit the portal and immediately knew that Fritz & Co was the right fit for him to extend his collegiate career.
While he was with the Ducks, the 6-foot-3 stud had 25 career tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. In his junior season, he played in all 15 games and recorded 20 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup. He can terrorize offenses with his explosive power, run-stopping, and pass-rushing abilities.
With him expected to get a lot more reps in defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong's game plan, he might be the missing piece that the Cougars have been searching for over the last several seasons that could seal the deal and bring the program to the promised land. He already loves his new school after his trip to Waffle House and will do everything in his power to be the best player he can be.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/houston as 3 Players Who Could Break Out Next Season For Houston Football .
