Players from Texas with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 72% of roster spots in 2016 and 41% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 83 of 115 roster spots were filled by Texas players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 43 of 106 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 4 to 48.
Of the 48 players previously rostered elsewhere, 22 are from Texas.
The median hometown distance moved from 91 mi in 2016 to 231 mi on the 2026 roster. The reliable geography record begins in 2003. Among players with a known home state, 79% were from Texas, compared with 61% on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 68.3% | 63.5% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 3.8% | 20.2% |
The 2026 roster
- 392 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 103 located players.
- 61.3%In-state61.3% of players with a known home state are from Texas.
- 39.8%Backyard39.8% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 45.3%Previously rostered elsewhere45.3% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where North Texas ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do North Texas's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 106 | 61.3% | 45.3% | 231 mi |
| 2025 | 115 | 73.0% | 31.3% | 158 mi |
| 2024 | 120 | 77.5% | 24.2% | 137 mi |
| 2023 | 120 | 81.7% | 18.3% | 45 mi |
| 2022 | 115 | 78.9% | 15.7% | 68 mi |
| 2021 | 106 | 70.2% | 11.3% | 199 mi |
| 2020 | 115 | 75.4% | 4.3% | 165 mi |
| 2019 | 111 | 77.3% | 5.4% | 154 mi |
| 2018 | 107 | 70.8% | 4.7% | 148 mi |
| 2017 | 119 | 71.2% | 3.4% | 149 mi |
| 2016 | 115 | 75.7% | 3.5% | 91 mi |
| 2015 | 123 | 82.9% | 0.0% | 123 mi |
| 2014 | 109 | 90.8% | 1.8% | 72 mi |
| 2013 | 106 | 89.6% | 1.9% | 44 mi |
| 2012 | 108 | 88.0% | 1.9% | 45 mi |
| 2011 | 106 | 81.1% | 0.0% | 45 mi |
| 2010 | 90 | 74.4% | 0.0% | 110 mi |
| 2009 | 98 | 79.6% | 0.0% | 71 mi |
| 2008‡ | 28 | 88.9% | 0.0% | — |
| 2007‡ | 29 | 100.0% | 0.0% | — |
| 2006‡ | 30 | 100.0% | 0.0% | — |
| 2005‡ | 20 | — | 0.0% | — |
| 2004‡ | 25 | — | 0.0% | — |
| 2003archive | 76 | 78.7% | 3.9% proxy | 154 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
‡ fewer than 70 roster rows or under 75% known home state. Treat with caution.
archive = official athletic-site roster. “Proxy” is the share listing a previous school where that field behaved like a transfer field; it is not the same measure as the share previously rostered elsewhere.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 231 mi