1st & 10: How have Texas' portal additions fared over the past two seasons?

Texas fans received a swift introduction to this transfer portal stuff back when it first opened up five years ago.

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I remember sitting in AT&T Stadium during the UIL State Championships when Justin Wells and I broke the news that Casey Thompson and Cameron Rising, half of the Longhorns’ quarterback room in 2018, had entered the portal.

Things were different then as there was no one-time exception, there was no NIL, and Texas was under the control of a different head coach. But the Longhorns were introduced to the effects of the transfer portal early, and now five years later under Steve Sarkisian the Horns are making use of the most unregulated system of talent acquisition in sports.

It’s worth remembering players can enter the portal for a variety of reasons. They might be seeking more playing time, looking to get closer to home, searching for NIL opportunities, leaving a situation that left them disgruntled, or a combination of those and many other aspects. Previous production is no guarantee of future performance, and similar can be said of past recruiting rankings.

The Longhorns have used the portal as a supplement more than substance, a strategy Sarkisian has explained often. However, there have been glaring holes Texas has filled with a transfer over the past two years.

How have those different types of transfers fared at Texas? We’ll look at the last two transfer classes considering they’ve been part of Sarkisian’s two successful years in Austin.

1: Quinn Ewers – 2022

There’s no doubt Ewers is a unique case, even among transfers. Between leaving Southlake Carroll early to sit behind CJ Stroud, Kyle McCord, and Jack Miller at Ohio State, to leaving Columbus to play for the Longhorns, to a tough redshirt freshman season, Ewers’ path doesn’t look like the one most No. 1 overall recruits take.

However, as his Big 12 Championship performance indicates, he’s become the player many expected him to be. He was surgical against Oklahoma State, and has been a reason behind victories in 2023 after sometimes being the root cause of defeats in 2022.

This year, even though absent for two games, Ewers is 248-for-351 (71%) for 3161 yards, 21 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He has also rushed for five scores.

Undoubtedly, a portal success story for Sarkisian with more to be written.

2: Ryan Watts – 2022

Watts has been a staple in the Longhorn secondary over the past two seasons. Occupying the boundary corner position, Watts recorded 41 tackles and an interception in 2022 before following that up with 32 tackles and three passes defended in 2023.

A key part of not only the pass defense but also the run stopping efforts, Watts is a player whose absence — whether rest or injury related — has been felt by the Longhorns. He should be good to go for the Sugar Bowl, and the Longhorns will need him against the Washington receiver corps.

Another success story featuring a Buckeye returning home to play for the Longhorns.

3: Jahleel Billingsley – 2022

Billingsley gained notoriety during the Crimson Tide’s 2020 title run, tallying eight catches for 95 yards and a score over the course of Alabama’s SEC Championship and CFP appearances. His numbers were meager in 2021, and he elected to transfer to Texas after the conclusion of the season.

Problem was, Billingsley was assessed a six-game suspension by the NCAA prior to his transfer, and five of those games were to be served at Texas in 2022. Once he became available, Billingsley didn’t contribute much with three catches for 38 yards in four games.

If Billingsley and his lack of success didn’t shut down Texas as a refuge for former Alabama products, another on this list assuredly did.

4: Isaiah Neyor – 2022

Sometimes, players just fall through the cracks. Neyor was ranked as a two-star prospect by a number of services and committed to play for Wyoming in 2018. He played some in 2020, posting an impressive 31 yards per catch on his eight receptions.

He followed that up with 44 catches for 878 yards and 12 scores, made more impressive by the poor quality of quarterback play for the Cowboys.

Upon entering the portal, Neyor was down to Texas and Tennessee. He originally chose the Volunteers but eventually flipped to Texas. He was slated to be the counterpart to Xavier Worthy last season, but a training camp ACL injury derailed those ideas. Neyor never cracked the rotation this year and recorded one catch for 14 yards. While injury should be accounted for, this one is on track to shift from its current incomplete status.

5: Agiye Hall – 2022

Hall was one of the most talented prospects in the 2021 class, but the Florida five-star often ran afoul of Nick Saban’s policies in Tuscaloosa. However, Hall’s services were needed for the Crimson Tide’s national championship game with Georgia after the 2021 season as the Bama receiving corps was decimated by injury.

He hauled in two catches for 52 yards, but sought a different location to play in 2022.

Texas obliged, but between a suspension due to a criminal mischief arrest related to a car boot and other problems, Hall appeared in only three games for Texas and hauled in one pass during his brief time in Austin. He entered the portal after the 2022 season but did not play for another school in 2023 as best Inside Texas can tell.

6: Tarique Milton – 2022

During a 33-7 rout of the Longhorns by Iowa State, Milton hauled in a touchdown pass from fellow Cyclone wideout Xavier Hutchinson to put the Cyclones up 17-7 and start the beatdown process.

After the season, Milton entered the portal and was picked up by the Longhorns to bolster wide receiver depth. Matt Campbell spoke highly of Milton even after the transfer, and while Milton made a crucial catch during the Longhorns’ comeback efforts against Texas Tech in Lubbock he would only record two receptions all last season.

7: Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey – 2022

Tucker-Dorsey left James Madison to play on a bigger stage and for a conference title because of the probationary period the Dukes program was in related to its transition to FBS. While Tucker-Dorsey didn’t get to play for that conference championship, he was a significant part of the Longhorn defensive efforts in 2022. His presence allowed for DeMarvion Overshown and Jaylan Ford to rest without a stepdown in quality on defense. Tucker-Dorsey made a number of plays himself as part of the Longhorns’ major improvement on defense.

Tucker-Dorsey is a portal success story not just on the field, but off it as well.

8: Adonai Mitchell – 2023

As we move from 2022 portalers to 2023 additions, we start to see more and more success stories, none bigger than Mitchell.

His reputation for showing up in big games was due to the fact he recorded touchdown receptions in all four of Georgia’s College Football Playoff contests in 2021 and 2022. He committed to Texas after the season, and has been a crucial part of the Longhorn offense in 2023.

He has hauled in 51 catches for 813 yards and a team-leading 10 touchdowns, all numbers that are easily the best of his career. Not only has he been a major boost for the Texas offense, but he’s strengthened any pitch Sarkisian might offer to prep or portal receivers.

9: Gavin Holmes – 2023

Holmes left Wake Forest after a quality career with the Demon Deacons and quickly entered the Longhorn defensive back rotation. Second-string at field corner behind Terrance Brooks, Holmes provided quality play all season to where there was little to no drop-off when the topline cornerbacks needed a breather. He recorded 16 tackles and two passes defended, including one in the Big 12 Championship.

He stands as a portal success story and has room to add to his Longhorn resume with another year of eligibility plus the COVID season if he so chooses.

10: Jalen Catalon – 2023

Catalon terrorized Texas and other opposing offenses for the Arkansas Razorbacks… when healthy.

Texas recruited and signed Catalon out of the transfer portal ahead of this season, knowing full well they might not get him for the entire campaign. They kept his hit count low after an offseason surgery, but the injury bug bit Catalon again against Oklahoma and his snap count was reduced over the course of the end of the season.

Catalon entered the portal earlier this week.

11: Trill Carter – 2023

Carter was brought to Texas to bolster defensive line depth behind Byron Murphy, T’Vondre Sweat, and Alfred Collins. Carter has done everything asked of him this season and even garnered an honorable mention from the Big 12’s coaches.

Carter has the COVID year of eligibility remaining for Texas’ first year in the SEC if he so chooses. He’s been everything Texas has needed as a rotational defensive tackle, and gives Bo Davis a nice piece to utilize in game and sell on the trail.

12: Ryan Sanborn – 2023

One of the more underrated additions via the portal for the Longhorns, Sanborn enjoyed a career season at Texas. He’s booted 35 punts and has averaged 45.5 yards per kick. Thirteen of his kicks have gone 50 or more yards and another 13 have landed inside the 20. Only two have ventured into the end zone. Plus, he’s been steady as the Texas holder for Bert Auburn.

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Of the 12 portal additions over the last two years, which have been successful?

Wildly successful

• Quinn Ewers
• Ryan Watts
• Adonai Mitchell
• Ryan Sanborn

Successful

• Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey
• Gavin Holmes
• Trill Carter

Unproductive

• Jahleel Billingsley
• Isaiah Neyor
• Tarique Milton
• Jalen Catalon
• Agiye Hall