OTF Premium Football portal needs dominate three things I think on Thursday

[Jeff Howe]

— I think Texas needs to add another interior defensive lineman in the spring transfer portal window, even after landing Ohio State’s Hero Kanu on Wednesday.

Kenny Baker and Pete Kwiatkowski need as many options as possible to adequately replace more than 1,900 snaps with the departures of Vernon Broughton, Alfred Collins, Jermayne Lole and Bill Norton. Of equal importance, for me, is giving playing time to the program’s three true freshmen (Myron Charles, Josiah Sharma and Justus Terry) by choice, not force.

For years, the Longhorns were stuck in a vicious cycle of throwing young players into the deep end, hoping they’ll swim. Steve Sarkisian’s regime broke the cycle at quarterback and along the offensive line, and the transfer portal can fill gaps in the talent pipeline at a time when attrition rates are high.

Texas signed five defensive linemen in the 2022 and 2023 cycles: Aaron Bryant, Jaray Bledsoe, Sydir Mitchell, Kris Ross and Zac Swanson. None of those guys are on the 2025 roster, but the portal additions of Kanu, Cole Brevard and Travis Shaw means Alex January and Melvin Hills Jr. aren’t solely tasked with making up for the outgoing tackles.

It’s easier to be known as a good developmental program when players get an appropriate amount of time to develop.

After playing behind four veteran tackles throughout the season, January only logged five snaps (according to Pro Football Focus) in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State. Still, he made an impact, recording a PFF single-game grade of 67.7, the second-best of his true freshman season.

That’s one example, but it’s important because January could be the only defensive line recruit between three recruiting classes (2022-24) considered a hit. Bringing in one more interior defensive lineman would give the Longhorns more time to let January, Hills and the three true freshmen grow into their roles and earn their playing time.

— I think the 2024 group of incoming wide receivers (Jaime Ffrench, Kaliq Lockett and Daylon McCutcheon enrolled for the spring semester) can get the position to a point where it becomes much less reliant on the transfer portal.

Texas hit a grand slam with Xavier Worthy in the 2021 class. Excluding Worthy, however, how things have played out for the eight other wideouts recruited by the Longhorns over three cycles (2021-23) is why Sarkisian and Chris Jackson will be on the hunt for a difference-maker in the spring portal window.

Sarkisian didn’t recruit Jaden Alexis, Casey Cain or Keithron Lee. Nevertheless, they’re three of five wideouts (Brenen Thompson and Savion Red signed in 2022) who joined the program during Sarkisian’s first two seasons.

Combining for 16 receptions and 280 yards, three of the five lasted one or fewer seasons on the Forty Acres and none of them occupied a roster spot in 2024. Combine the production of Johntay Cook (16 catches, 273 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games) with what those five did and the numbers (32 receptions for 553 yards and two touchdowns) fall short of what DeAndre Moore Jr. put up in 2024 (39 catches, 456 yards and seven touchdowns).

When Sarkisian’s staff hits on a wide receiver recruit, they hit it big.

Ffrench, Lockett and McCutcheon will compete with Aaron Butler, Freddie Dubose and Parker Livingstone for roles alongside Moore and Ryan Wingo (and presumably Ryan Niblett) during spring practice. Those odds favor Texas developing a homegrown receiving corps capable of maximizing Arch Manning’s time behind center.

— I think the Longhorns need a few pieces besides an interior defensive lineman or a dynamic wide receiver when the spring transfer portal window opens on April 16.

Texas could answer some major depth chart questions during spring practice. Still, I don’t want the staff to leave anything to chance if there's an opportunity to improve the roster.

Kicker, interior offensive line, cornerback, safety and running back could be addressed in the portal. There might not be upgrades available in the portal, or the NIL price tag could make certain acquisitions unattainable, but those are the areas of concern that need to be addressed if they’re not answered by the end of the spring game.

The running game and Manning’s running ability could positively affect the offense’s productivity in the red zone. That said, Sarkisian's lack of trust in the field goal unit by the end of the season compounded the issues (a 79.7 scoring rate in the red zone in 2024 was the program's worst under Sarkisian).

Ideally, Bert Auburn or Will Stone grabs the bull by the horns and wins the job outright in the spring. If the answer to the kicking inconsistencies isn’t on the roster, Texas doesn’t need to roll the dice and play with fire in 2025 if there’s a suitable option in the portal. Besides the interior defensive line and wide receiver, the kicking situation might be the most critical area the Longhorns need to assess before the spring window opens.

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[Bunk Moreland]

Great stuff, Jeff!

[Wabi Sabi]

Love this... Thanks so much for all your efforts, Jeff! Great to be reading your work again!

[Burnt Orange Horn]

So Niblett is still a WR.  Good for Texas.

[JMarquette]

Thanks for the post @Jeff Howe love how your updates and posts read. 

[Maddog109]

You are always on point with what the program needs. Thanks for your insight.

[Joe Zura]

I love this 🤘

[FatherofMinky]

Great read 

[McCoy2Shipley]

I'd really like to see us get a TE and CB in the spring if the staff feels like whatever is available will be an upgrade for us. I'd feel a little bit better about TE if Townsend was enrolling early, but I guess Banks did pretty good without doing that. Do you think Kobe Black is ready to roll? He certainly had an impressive game against Vandy

[NothinButDaHorns34]

I think getting some older experienced players in the tight end, wide receiver or offensive line room wouldn’t hurt at all. Like gerry always says the excuse for being young this season isn’t a valid one anymore with the emergence of the portal. 

[TTaylor2135]

Well said and I agree. Are we all set with TE?

[GoHorns1]

1 hour ago, Burnt Orange Horn said:

So Niblett is still a WR.  Good for Texas.

Actually RB

[GoHorns1]

26 minutes ago, NothinButDaHorns34 said:

I think getting some older experienced players in the tight end, wide receiver or offensive line room wouldn’t hurt at all. Like gerry always says the excuse for being young this season isn’t a valid one anymore with the emergence of the portal. 

Spring ball will have a big determining factor on spring portal needs

[Texas fan in Georgia]

Niblett could be quite the story. Stayed multiple years and waited his turn, even going through a position switch to RB. I personally hope he has a big season.

[drag worm]

Could not agree more and been saying this since the first portal window. Every position you spoke of especially the top two priorities are still a necessity if we are wanting to maximize one of Arch’s two seasons as QB1 at Texas. 
 

Many here and the two other main boards argued that we need to let the home grown recruits take over and trust in the recruiting classes, but there is a clear bridge between the 2025 season and our ability to trust those classes to drive the car, especially on offense. Especially at WR. 
 

Can we field a two deep as is? Definitely. Would it be preposterously void of returning offensive starting production at a near historical level on offense? Yes.
 

My priority list at this point given the three DTs we have brought in:

1. A legit disruptive starter at DT. Not someone we hope will become productive but someone who has proven to be. 
2. An elite WR1. Get the next AD, Golden or Bond into the rotation and you suddenly take the pressure off of Wingo and Moore and you’ve got depth behind them. Don’t get a WR1 and you’re now hoping for big game production from players who have yet to take on that role (at yet another position.)

3. RB1. I hope like everyone else does that Baxter comes back strong and healthy and just as quick as he was. But even at his best he is a better Wisener who has quicks and glides through holes and hits the jets on the edges. He’s not the bruising short yardage RB we needed to tie OSU at the end of that game. Could Rhino become that? Sure. Is it a risk to have to rely on yet another player to step into a role they haven’t proven they can do? Absolutely. 

4. Center / IOL. Obvious reasons. One proven player suddenly reshuffles the entire lineup in a way that lets a few of veteran players with limited starts begin to grow into seasoned starters by mid season. 

Edited Friday at 02:02 AM by drag worm

[DanielOnorato]

Call me crazy, you can flex so many of these guys expect derek Williams, McDonald, Jonah Williams to be versatile and missiles.

[Jeff Howe]

21 hours ago, Bunk Moreland said:

Great stuff, Jeff!

Thanks, Bunk Moreland!

[Jeff Howe]

21 hours ago, Wabi Sabi said:

Love this... Thanks so much for all your efforts, Jeff! Great to be reading your work again!

Thank you, Wabi Sabi. I'm loving my start with OTF!

[Jeff Howe]

21 hours ago, Burnt Orange Horn said:

So Niblett is still a WR.  Good for Texas.

He can do either. I don't know where he'll be this spring, but with James Simon and Rickey Stewart on campus, it makes sense to let Niblett go back to receiver.

[Jeff Howe]

21 hours ago, JMarquette said:

Thanks for the post @Jeff Howe love how your updates and posts read. 

Thanks, JMarquette!

[Jeff Howe]

21 hours ago, Maddog109 said:

You are always on point with what the program needs. Thanks for your insight.

Thank you, Maddog109. I think that just means I've seen a lot, which means I'm not getting any younger.

[Jeff Howe]

21 hours ago, Joe Zura said:

I love this 🤘

Thanks, Joe Zura!

[Jeff Howe]

20 hours ago, FatherofMinky said:

Great read 

Thanks, FatherofMinky.

[Jeff Howe]

20 hours ago, McCoy2Shipley said:

I'd really like to see us get a TE and CB in the spring if the staff feels like whatever is available will be an upgrade for us. I'd feel a little bit better about TE if Townsend was enrolling early, but I guess Banks did pretty good without doing that. Do you think Kobe Black is ready to roll? He certainly had an impressive game against Vandy

I feel pretty good about Black. My only concern with him is as Texas gets away from being a field-and-boundary defense, can he play multiple positions? I think he can, but the staff recruited him to be in the Ryan Watts role.

I'm probably overthinking it because Black is a better prospect than Watts.

[Jeff Howe]

20 hours ago, NothinButDaHorns34 said:

I think getting some older experienced players in the tight end, wide receiver or offensive line room wouldn’t hurt at all. Like gerry always says the excuse for being young this season isn’t a valid one anymore with the emergence of the portal. 

Tight end is interesting because the option of the six-OL package means you can take another receiver or running back rather than settling for a tight end just to get the numbers up at the position. If I'm Sark, I'm looking for playmakers, especially if it means not forcing a replacement for Helm who might not measure up.