Texas Transfer Portal Tracker: Longhorns beef up defense, add LB and DL

Tracking the outgoing and incoming Texas Longhorns via the NCAA Transfer Portal. UT will lose at least one former 5-star.

Saturday was a big day for the Longhorns in the Transfer Portal. Texas added two players that will be vital next season in keeping the UT defense on top of the SEC.

Texas has reportedly signed former Purdue Boilermakers defensive tackle Cole Brevard. The 6’3, 333-pound lineman has one season of eligibility remaining and made his decision after visiting Austin on Friday.

The Horns have also reportedly signed former Arkansas linebacker Brad Spence. The Houston Klein Forest product also committed to Texas after visiting on Friday. The 6’2, 238-pounder has two seasons of eligibility left.

The 3-star prospect signed with Arkansas as a member of the 2023 recruiting class as the No. 1,000 player nationally and the No. 96 edge, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Texas’ top target is schedule to visit the 40 Acres on Monday. Georgia Tech WR Eric Singleton Jr. has narrowed his list down to Auburn, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, and Texas. The No. 1 transfer portal prospect on both On3 and 247 Sports visited Ole Miss this weekend.

Texas Longhorns Portal Signings

P Jack Bouwmeester – Utah

Sep 14, 2024; Logan, Utah, USA; Utah Utes punter Jack Bouwmeester (34) punts against the Utah State Aggies at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-3, 197 pound kicker has 60 punts in 2024 for 2,682 yards on an average of 44.7 yards per punt. 13 of the 60 punts went for 50+ yards and 9 landed inside the 20-yard line. Read More

DT Cole Brevard – Purdue

Sep 21, 2024; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Purdue Boilermakers defensive lineman Cole Brevard (91) walks the field before the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

UT will be the Carmel, Indiana products third team. Brevard originally signed with Penn State as a 4-star prospect. After appearing in just one game for the Nittany Lions over two season, Brevard transferred to Purdue. At Purdue, he got ore playing time.  This season, Brevard recorded 12 tackles, 13 defensive stops, and 13 pressures and a sack.

LB Brad Spence – Arkansas

Sep 2, 2023; Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Brad Spence (22) celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Western Carolina Catamounts at War Memorial Stadium. Arkansas won 56-13. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

The Longhorns staff has a familiarity with Spence from his original recruitment. After signing with the Razorbacks, Spence was a rotation player as a true freshman, including making one start, recording 16 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, and one interception, which came in his collegiate debut against Western Carolina.

Texas Longhorns Portal Visits

WR Eric Singleton – Georgia Tech

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 05: Eric Singleton Jr. #2 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets reacts after rushing for a touchdown against Tre Freeman #12 of the Duke Blue Devils during the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 05, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The top target early in the winter window is former Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets standout Eric Singleton Jr., who is expected to visit the Forty Acres on Monday. Read More

Texas Longhorns in the Portal

P Ian Ratliff

On Wednesday, Texas Punter Ian Ratliff, announced his intentions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. Hailing from Atascosita High School, the sophomore has three years of eligibility left.

The Humble, TX product didn’t see any action in 2023 and had eight total punts this season. Ratliff punted against Oklahoma and Georgia, totaling 8 punts for a 44.0 yard average. He was named a program player of the game after the Oklahoma Red River Rivalry game. Read More

EDGE Justice Finkley

DALLAS, TEXAS – OCTOBER 12: Justice Finkley #1 of the Texas Longhorns runs against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half at Cotton Bowl on October 12, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Texas junior EDGE Justice Finkley intends to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to 247Sports.

The fifth highest ranked prospect in Texas’ 2022 recruiting class, Finkley enrolled early at Texas in January of 2022 after selecting the Longhorns over AlabamaColorado, and Michigan amongst 26 other offers.

Finkley saw his snap count diminish in 2024, only appearing in six games.
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DT Sydir Mitchell

LATEST: For the second time in four days, Mitchell has entered the NCAA transfer portal. The DT entered the portal last week, then had a change of heart and decided to stay at Texas.

Now the New Jersey product has changed his mind again and will re-enter the portal.

Mitchell, a 6-foot-5, 335-pound lineman, appeared in four games during the 2023 season. He made his Longhorn debut in the season opener against Rice and recorded solo tackles in wins over Wyoming and Kansas, as well as in the Big 12 Championship Game victory against Oklahoma State.
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WR Johntay Cook

Sep 14, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns receiver Johntay Cook II (1) makes a touchdown catch over UTSA safety Elijah Newell (22) during the game at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron E. Martinez/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

The former five-star recruit left the program in November and will now be looking for a new home. He was the 31st-ranked player overall in his recruiting class.

During his time as a Longhorn, Cook appeared in 20 games and hauled 16 catches. He recorded 273 receiving yards and found the end zone twice this season after not recording a receiving touchdown last year. Although Cook began his college career with high expectations, he struggled to separate himself in a Longhorns offense full of talent while battling injuries.
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LB Tausili Akana

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound edge rusher and linebacker for the Longhorns, entered the NCAA transfer portal early Monday. The redshirt freshman will have three years of eligibility remaining.

A consensus 4-star recruit from Laie, Hawaii, Akana was a late addition to Texas’s 2023 recruiting class, signing on Early Signing Day in 2022.

Akana appeared in one game, making his debut in the Longhorns’ home opener against Rice. He played six defensive snaps over two seasons and contributed on special teams, logging 37 snaps on kickoff coverage across eight games this season and recording two tackles.
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DT Aaron Bryant

Nov 9, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Aaron Bryant (53) takes the field with teammates before a game against the Florida Gators at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

UPDATE: Aaron Bryant has committed to Vanderbilt

Bryant is a former 4-star defensive lineman who has played in 13 games for Texas in three years. He’s recorded two total tackles in those games.

Bryant was slated to be depth at the DT position next year. The Texas staff did address this position in the Early Signing Period by signing  4-star Josiah Sharma, 4-star Myron Charles and 5-star Justus Terry.

Bryant wrote a heartfelt note to Longhorns fans on his social media accounts, calling it the “hardest decision of my life.” ,Bryant said, ” To Longhorn Nation: Thank you for everything. Thank you for the support, the memories, and the lessons. This isn’t goodbye—it’s see you later.”

DT Tiaoalii Savea

The former top-10 prospect from Las Vegas transferred to Texas from Arizona in the spring of 2024. As a Longhorn, he had two tackles against UTSA and assisted on one against ULM for a total of three tackles for the season.

At Arizona, Savea had 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, and a blocked kick in two seasons.

LB Derion Gullette

Gullette is a former 4-star recruit who had interest in Ohio State, Oklahoma, Alabama and Arkansas before committing to Texas. The linebacker recorded two tackles in two games at Texas.

DT Jaray Bledsoe

After redshirting and playing in one game as a true freshman for Texas in 2022, Bledsoe appeared in eight games in 2023. His role diminished in 2024, appearing in just a handful of games. Bledsoe has a recruiting trip set up for the Washington Huskies.

CB Jayvion Cole

Cole has played for three different schools over the last three years: Cal Poly, San Jose State and Texas. He’ll now look for his fourth program.

Cole played in just one game this season, against Louisiana-Monroe on September 21st. He had one tackle and an interception.