The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Justin Cryer - 2026 Football Roster
Roster
Justin Cryer
- Position:
- LB
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 241
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Katy, Texas
- High School:
- Royal
- Major:
- Physical Culture & Sports
CAREER HIGHS
- Tackles: 11 // vs. Florida, 10/17/26
- Solo Tackles: 5 // at Duke, 10/18/24
- Tackles for loss: 2 (2x) // last vs. Pittsburgh, 10/11/25
- Sacks: 1 // vs. Pittsburgh, 10/11/25
- Interceptions: 1 // vs. Memphis, 9/14/24
- Pass breakups: 1 (2x) // last vs. Florida, 10/17/26
- Forced fumbles: N/A
- Fumbles recovered: 1 // at SMU, 9/28/24
- Blocked kicks: N/A
A first-year linebacker from Katy, Texas ... has played in 33 career games with 17 starts… transferred to Texas from Florida State in spring 2026 … played in 26 games with 10 starts across three seasons at Florida State … named to 2023 All-ACC Academic Team.
SENIOR (2026)
Has started in all seven games ... made his Longhorn debut starting in season opener against Texas State (9/5) ... logged three tackles (one solo) vs. the Bobcats ... led the team with nine tackles (two solo) in win over No. 1/1 Ohio State (9/12) ... also notched a tackle for a loss of ten yards, one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries ... recorded two solo stops and a quarterback hurry vs. UTSA (9/19) ... registered nine tackles (four solo) and a pass breakup at No. 13/14 Tennessee (9/26) ... tallied four tackles (one solo) against Oklahoma (10/10) ... led the team with a career-high 11 tackles (three solo) and a pass breakup vs. Florida (10/17) ... compiled five tackles (four solo) and a pass breakup against No. 7/7 Ole Miss (10/24) ... also returned an interception for 15 yards vs. the Rebels.
BEFORE TEXAS
JUNIOR (2025)
Appeared in all 12 games with career-high eight starts … earned FSU Team Honors - Bill McGrotha Award & Bobby Bowden Leadership Award … led FSU linebackers with 43 tackles … added 5.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack … started and tied career-high with seven tackles against Alabama (8/30) … posted three tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss vs. East Texas A&M (9/6) … logged two tackles and 1.0 TFL against Kent State (9/20) … credited with six tackles at Virginia (9/26) … made four tackles against No. 3 Miami (10/4) … tallied four tackles vs. Pitt (10/11), including career-high 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack, the first of his career ...TFL total matched high for any Nole in 2025 … registered a tackle at Stanford (10/18) and another vs. Wake Forest (11/1) … tallied five tackles, including 0.5 TFL at Clemson (11/8) … made three tackles against Virginia Tech (11/15) … recorded five tackles at NC State … closed out the season with two tackles and 0.5 tackle for loss at Florida (11/29).
SOPHOMORE (2024)
Played in Florida State’s first nine contests before season-ending injury sustained vs. North Carolina … Bill McGrotha Award winner, presented by Tallahassee Quarterback Club to the top Humanitarians … started against Duke (10/18) and No. 6 Miami (10/26), his first career starts … ended the season with 32 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, one interception and one fumble recovery … game-high and career-high seven tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss against the Blue Devils … notched his first career interception and FSU’s first interception of the season against Memphis (9/14) … added five tackles against Tigers …fell on a muffed punt at SMU (9/28) for Seminoles’ first fumble recovery of 2024 and first of his career … added four tackles against Boston College (9/2), No. 15 Clemson (10/5) and Miami.
FRESHMAN (2023)
Appeared in 13 games and made 12 tackles … named to All-ACC Academic Team … recorded career-high six tackles in Orange Bowl vs. No. 6 Georgia (12/30) … made three tackles in 41-3 win vs. Syracuse (10/14) … registered a solo stop in 58-13 win vs. North Alabama (11/18) … had one tackle in 66-13 win vs. Southern Miss (9/9) and 24-7 win at Pitt (11/4) … made collegiate debut in season-opening 45-24 victory vs. No. 5 LSU (9/3).
HIGH SCHOOL
Three-star prospect rated as No. 25 linebacker recruit nationally by ESPN and 35th at his position by Rivals … initially enrolled at Northwestern before transferring to FSU in summer prior to his freshman season … two-time team captain at Royal HS … made 75 tackles, including 17.0 for loss with 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and three pass breakups his senior year … earned first-team all-district after junior season … recorded 103 tackles, 19.0 for loss with 5.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and two pass breakups … played sophomore season at Morton Ranch … also played baseball at Royal and hit .321 with five triples and two home runs his junior year.
PERSONAL
Has gone by the nickname “Juice” since he was a toddler … got the nickname because he was a 10-plus pound baby and always big for his age ... though he didn’t like the nickname at first, it stuck, and he’s embraced it … baseball was his first love and favorite sport growing up … he not only loved playing the game but became inspired by the movie "Moneyball” and was fascinated and very active in learning and studying the statistical data side of the sport … was a multi-sport athlete who played baseball, basketball and football all the way through high school … also enjoyed throwing the discus and shot put in track and field as a middle schooler, and was a district qualifier during his throwing days … comes from a very athletic family … older brother, LJ, is a point guard for the Golden State Warriors … LJ played basketball collegiately at Houston and Baylor, winning a National Championship with Baylor in 2021 and helping Houston to a National Championship game appearance in 2025 … LJ averaged 15.6 points per game and shot 42.7% from three-point range en route to The Associated Press Big 12 Player of the Year and third-team All-American honors in 2025 … he credits LJ with inspiring his competitiveness as his older spared no expense in family competitions on the field and court with his brother, four years younger … his father, Lionel Sr., played linebacker and his mother, Mica, played volleyball at Grambling … his first cousin, Barry Cryer, was a defensive lineman at Nebraska in 2005-06 … attended a Texas at Nebraska game as a youngster in 2006 ... he does not have great recollections from the game, but it was a game the Longhorns won on a last-second field goal, 22-20.
