Why Texas’ Transfer Portal Ranking Looks Low—And Why It Doesn’t Matter
While Texas Longhorns aren’t afraid to tap into the transfer portal, head coach Steve Sarkisian takes a strategic approach—targeting key positions rather than overhauling the entire roster.
Take last season, for example. Sarkisian zeroed in on defensive back and wide receiver, landing key additions like Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, and Silas Bolden at WR, along with Andrew Mukuba at DB.
For 2025, the approach remains the same. So far, Texas has only signed four players from the transfer portal—three to reinforce the defensive front seven and one special teams addition. That may seem like a small number, but it directly addresses a major need after Texas lost eight defensive linemen and linebackers to the NFL Draft. The plan? Build around returning stars like Anthony Hill and Colin Simmons instead of making drastic changes.
Why Texas’ Portal Ranking is Deceptively Low
Because of this selective approach, Texas currently ranks 90th nationally and dead last in the SEC (16th) in 247Sports’ transfer rankings. But those numbers don’t tell the full story.
Programs ranked higher simply signed more players. Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Arkansas have each brought in 20+ transfers, while LSU (16), Oklahoma (15), and Texas A&M (14) also loaded up. West Virginia? A staggering 31 portal signings.
Meanwhile, Georgia, a fellow College Football Playoff contender, has signed just six players, ranking 47th nationally and 13th in the SEC. Their approach mirrors Texas’: recruit well from high school, retain top talent, and make only calculated portal moves.
Elite Teams Don’t Need the Portal Overhaul
A quick look at other CFP semifinalists shows the trend.
- Ohio State (National Champions) → 50th-ranked portal class
- Penn State → 72nd-ranked
- Notre Dame → 60th-ranked
- Arizona State (Quarterfinals) → 45th-ranked
- Boise State (Quarterfinals) → 113th-ranked
- Oregon (Exception) → 11th-ranked with nine signings
Clearly, Texas isn’t lagging behind—it’s simply focusing on retention and development rather than mass portal additions.
Texas’ 2025 Transfer Portal Additions
So far, Texas has secured four key signings:
- DT Travis Shaw (North Carolina) → One year of eligibility left, expected to make an immediate impact.
- DT Cole Brevard (Purdue) → Former Boilermaker already practicing with UT, another veteran addition to the defensive front.
- P Jack Bouwmeester (Utah) → Australian native, adds experience to Texas’ special teams unit.
- QB CJ Rogers (Houston Christian) → Former Baylor and Texas State junior adds depth at quarterback.
Texas is likely to add more transfers before the season kicks off, but Sarkisian’s strategy remains clear—quality over quantity. The Longhorns don’t need a massive portal haul when they already have elite talent in place.
