Steve Sarkisian and his staff made tremendous efforts to bolster the roster after the calamity that was the 2021 season.
While many are dialed in on superstar quarterback transfer Quinn Ewers or the elite athlete that is wide receiver Isaiah Neyor, the Longhorns were able to bring in another key transfer in cornerback Ryan Watts.
Similar to Ewers, Watts is a Texas native that came by way of the transfer portal from Ohio State. Watts offers fantastic size at 6-foot-4 and his range along with his physicality have many thinking he has locked up a starting spot already.
He his widely viewed as a player capable of putting together a breakout season in 2022 , as he was featured on 247Sports’ rising stars to watch ahead of the upcoming season. Here is what they said about the Longhorns new cornerback who landed at No. 8 on the rankings.
The Ohio State transfer has quickly made a name for himself during spring camp and is anxious to shine back in his home state in front of family and friends. Ryan Watts played in 19 games with the Buckeyes and tallied 11 career tackles and two interceptions in his two seasons at Ohio State, playing behind a couple veterans and future NFL Draft picks. His two interceptions tied for a team-high for the Ohio State defense in 2021. He joined Quinn Ewers as the other early-enroll from the transfer portal and like Ewers, is expected to have his fingerprints all over the Longhorns’ success this fall.
The Longhorns badly needed an experienced cornerback to help make up for the loss of Josh Thompson who departed for the NFL, along with both starting safeties from last season.
If Watts can live up to the expectations that followed him from Columbus, the Texas defense could be worlds better than last season.