Will Texas Spend Big in the Portal?

[TexasFanatic]

Given that we are punting on this 2026 HS close, it sure looks like it. 
 

Texas needs to lane 5/6 NFL draft picks in the portal this cycle. 
 

RB, OL, WR, DB, LB

[snugsie]

From what we have seen so far Texas will pay up for prime talent but won't match "crazy" offers and may get beat on top line talent. With that said we will win our share of who we want. I hope we are aggressive though. 

[TexasFanatic]

20 minutes ago, snugsie said:

From what we have seen so far Texas will pay up for prime talent but won't match "crazy" offers and may get beat on top line talent. With that said we will win our share of who we want. I hope we are aggressive though. 

Texas needs to stop with that mindset. They need to do what Ohio State did 

[drag worm]

7 minutes ago, TexasFanatic said:

Texas needs to stop with that mindset. They need to do what Ohio State did 

that would have included retaining the Juniors who left last season. Could you imagine this team with Ewers, Banks, Williams, and Golden? 

Edited 17 hours ago by drag worm

[NothinButDaHorns34]

2 hours ago, drag worm said:

that would have included retaining the Juniors who left last season. Could you imagine this team with Ewers, Banks, Williams, and Golden? 

I wouldn’t want to imagine ewers back without kelvin and cam. He would’ve been killed if he was pressured like arch early in the season. 

Edited 14 hours ago by NothinButDaHorns34

[horns96]

3 hours ago, TexasFanatic said:

Texas needs to lane 5/6 NFL draft picks in the portal this cycle. 
 

RB, OL, WR, DB, LB

Life isn't a video game.

[TexasFanatic]

23 minutes ago, horns96 said:

Life isn't a video game.

Ohio State did it.

[Pound Town]

11 hours ago, horns96 said:

Life isn't a video game.

Unfortunately (?), CFB is a video game now in terms of managing a team and buying a roster. 
 

 

[Nuufaola]

All the teams have the same amount to spend via revenue share. 

We also have the best reach, so our NIL deals (which are outside the salary cap) should be the best.

We do not (and will not) have a mechanism to pay cash under the table.    

Texas is only limited by the law (or SEC/NCAA rules).  We can come up with any amount of money we need.  

 

Some of the posts above confuse the current roster (i.e., there was no cap before this summer) and next years roster.  

[jkates]

Spending big isn't necessarily the answer.

Hitting on the players you spend on is the answer. Texas must hit on transfers - as it did with Mosley or Kanu - without a high whiff rate - like Niblack.

[CJ Vogel]

My estimation is they absolutely will. We will see how it plays out, but I am expecting Texas to be as active in the portal this year as they ever have been under Sarkisian. 

In a way, I expect it to be an overcorrection from last year. Every position will be reviewed and will be on the table for additions out of the portal.

[Joe Zura]

Better 

[4thandFive]

2 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

My estimation is they absolutely will. We will see how it plays out, but I am expecting Texas to be as active in the portal this year as they ever have been under Sarkisian. 

In a way, I expect it to be an overcorrection from last year. Every position will be reviewed and will be on the table for additions out of the portal.

Good.

 

Because Arch is gonna be a monster.

[TexasFanatic]

37 minutes ago, jkates said:

Spending big isn't necessarily the answer.

Hitting on the players you spend on is the answer. Texas must hit on transfers - as it did with Mosley or Kanu - without a high whiff rate - like Niblack.

I think you are mostly right, but if a guy like Coleman and/or Baugh enter, you don’t need to worry about a bidding war. You get those players by any means necessary. If you add those two players, you become the favorite especially if you add a few OL and DBs too

[CJ Vogel]

14 minutes ago, 4thandFive said:

Good.

 

Because Arch is gonna be a monster.

I think he will be as well.

[Steamboat Willie]

This cycle is portal or bust. If we’re “punting” on a big HS close, then Sark better roll into the portal like a Jeff Bezos drunk at an art auction. We don’t need projects. We need grown men: RB, two OL, at least one DB, a safety who can tackle, and a LB who scares people. Arch’s window is right now, not after three developmental seasons and a prayer.

The difference isn’t money — it’s hitting on the buys. Spend big, evaluate better, and stop pretending last year’s portal nap was some 4D chess move. CJ basically told us it’s about to be an overcorrection — good. Overcorrect hard.

Bottom line:
If we don’t come out of this portal cycle with multiple instant starters, then we’re officially wasting a once-in-a-generation QB. .

[Forrest J.]

31 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

My estimation is they absolutely will. We will see how it plays out, but I am expecting Texas to be as active in the portal this year as they ever have been under Sarkisian. 

In a way, I expect it to be an overcorrection from last year. Every position will be reviewed and will be on the table for additions out of the portal.

We were very active in the portal last year, just didn’t get many if any difference makers. Still  🤞🏾 for Mosley and Watson to be difference makers.  Another year of volume c+ level players isn’t going to cut it. 

[Tuco Ramirez]

31 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

My estimation is they absolutely will. We will see how it plays out, but I am expecting Texas to be as active in the portal this year as they ever have been under Sarkisian. 

In a way, I expect it to be an overcorrection from last year. Every position will be reviewed and will be on the table for additions out of the portal.

I wouldn’t be surprised if part of that overcorrection includes more attrition than we’re used to seeing. Possibly including some big names.

[CJ Vogel]

1 minute ago, Tuco Ramirez said:

I wouldn’t be surprised if part of that overcorrection includes more attrition than we’re used to seeing. Possibly including some big names.

I'm also accounting for this to be the case as well.

[CJ Vogel]

2 minutes ago, Forrest J. said:

We were very active in the portal last year, just didn’t get many if any difference makers. Still  🤞🏾 for Mosley and Watson to be difference makers.  Another year of volume c+ level players isn’t going to cut it. 

Texas brought in 11 players a year ago out of the portal, many are contributors – Watson, Endries, Mosley, Kanu, Spence, Brevard plus the two specialists.

What I mean by overcorrection in my original post is guys like Emmanuel Pregnon, Max Klare, Eric Singleton, etc. they don't leave campus uncommitted. Texas has done well at finding value in their portal pickups lately – and don't get me wrong, that is very important. But there should be no reason to penny pinch as long as your QB is Arch Manning.

[Atticus]

We really need a hybrid TE who can be a respectable blocker and do enough as a pass catcher.
Washington needs more work and hopefully one of Winston or Townsend pop, but getting a TE/H-Back who can deliver in the running game and provide value in the passing game would be huge for this team next year. 

[Steamboat Willie]

18 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

an by overcorrection in my original post is guys like Emmanuel Pregnon, Max Klare, Eric Singleton, etc. they don't leave campus uncommitted. Texas has done well at finding value in their portal pickups lately – and

Nothing about this feels like a light portal cycle. The breadcrumbs say Texas is gearing up for a full correction year. The back-channeling alone suggests this is already moving before the portal even opens.

RB still needs a true lead dog. OL needs immediate adults, not projects — at least two guards and a swing tackle. DB and safety are clearly on the shopping list too. Also, a big DL. That’s not patchwork. That’s structural repair.

This roster isn’t getting “tuned up” in January. It’s getting remechanized.
Now the only question that matters: does the staff finally cash the right checks on the right players?

[Big Tex]

16 hours ago, drag worm said:

that would have included retaining the Juniors who left last season. Could you imagine this team with Ewers, Banks, Williams, and Golden? 

All four of those were going to the NFL no matter what. They either believed they would be early round picks or were not interested in returning to school (Cam W.). 

[drag worm]

21 minutes ago, Big Tex said:

All four of those were going to the NFL no matter what. They either believed they would be early round picks or were not interested in returning to school (Cam W.). 

Ewers was definitely asked to move on by the staff. That’s not even debated. And yeah the others would have required massive investment to keep around for a season but that sounds like what Ohio State did in keeping their 2024 squad together. It obviously paid off. 

[syracusehorn]

If there’s not a major overhaul, next year will be worse. We don’t have enough difference makers at the skill positions or secondary, and we need at least 3 OL additions. That doesn’t even address the other needs.