Texas DL Sydir Mitchell reverses course, no longer plans to enter transfer portal

Texas defensive lineman Sydir Mitchell is not expected to enter the NCAA transfer portal despite telling On3’s Hayes Fawcett of his intentions, per Horns247.

According to the report, Mitchell never officially entered the portal, making it appear as though he’ll return to Austin for a third season in 2025.

Mitchell, a redshirt freshman, has played in nine career games and compiled seven tackles over that span. The 6-foot-6, 340-pound defensive lineman will have three years of college eligibility remaining. He’s appeared in eight games throughout his two seasons in Austin, including just four in 2024 to secure a redshirt.

He struggled to crack the Texas playing rotation through his first two seasons in Austin, managing just four total tackles and just a half-tackle for loss in 2024.

Before college, Mitchell was a four-star recruit in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 233 overall prospect, the No. 26 defensive lineman, and the No. 4 player in New Jersey.

Texas is set to take on Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Dec. 21. They finished the regular season 11-1 overall but were unable to secure a win in the SEC Championship game against Georgia. The loss cost the Longhorns a first-round bye but will look to take care of business against the Tigers in Austin.

The portal officially opened on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. More than 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered their names into the NCAA’s transfer database during the 2023-24 school year. Removing those who withdrew or went pro, the final total sat at 2,707 transfers.

That means roughly 25 percent of all FBS scholarship players hit free agency in one year, per On3’s Pete Nakos.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.