How transfers to Texas on offense in the portal era have fared as Longhorns

Finding the right players to add to a roster through the transfer portal has become a major part of college football since the database launched on Oct.15, 2018.

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The NCAA utilizes the portal to manage and facilitate the process for student athletes seeking to transfer between member institutions. Programs can use the portal as a kind of “player buffet” to pick and choose the men they would like to woo to their teams based on how they fill the team’s specific needs.

Texas has signed 20 players out of the transfer portal over the past four years, nine on offense, nine on defense and two on special teams.

At first, the Longhorns were signing players because they needed proven commodities to create depth on the roster. But recently Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff are on the hunt for upgrades and high-ceiling players at specific positions to augment the talent already on the roster with the program back on track after an 8-5 campaign.

This feature is on the offensive players signed from the portal and is the first of a series of four articles to provide updates on the contributions of the transfer portal players.

In upcoming features in the series, we will look at the defensive and special teams players who have come to Texas, and then the offensive and defensive/special teams players who have transferred out of the Longhorns’ program.

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Offensive players

Parker Braun, OL (Georgia Tech)

Braun came to the 40 Acres as a highly recruited graduate transfer in 2019 and made 13 starts at left guard for the Texas team that went 8-5, beat Utah in the Valero Alamo Bowl and was 25th in the final AP poll.

Tarik Black, WR (Michigan)

Black played in eight games and made one start at wide receiver for the Longhorns in 2020, hauling in 10 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown for the Texas team that finished 7-3 and trounced Colorado in the Valero Alamo Bowl and finished 19th in the nation.

Gabe Watson, RB (Sioux Falls)

Watson came to Texas in 2020 as a graduate transfer and played in six games in his two seasons on the 40 Acres. He carried the ball seven times for 34 yards in 2020.

Keilan Robinson, WR (Alabama)

Robinson joined Texas as a redshirt sophomore in 2021 and has been a huge contributor for the Longhorns the past two seasons.

In 2021 Robinson earned honorable mention Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year after playing in 11 games with one start, carrying the ball 45 times for 322 yards and three touchdowns and catching seven passes for 57 yards. He also blocked a punt against Louisiana that bounced out of the back of the end zone for a safety.

This past season, Robinson garnered honorable mention All-Big 12 as a return specialist by the league’s coaches and honorable mention All-Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year. He played in 13 games with three starts, returned 16 kickoffs for 403 yards, rushed 25 times for 86 yards and established career highs with 20 receptions for 219 yards and three touchdowns. Robinson also picked up a blocked punt and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown for Texas’ first score of the year in the season-opening victory over ULM.

Quinn Ewers, QB (Ohio State)

Ewers transferred to Texas as a redshirt freshman and was named honorable mention Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year by the league’s coaches. He played in and started 10 games, completing 172 of his 296 passes for 2,177 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Ewers led Texas to six victories, tied for the third-most by a freshman in Texas history, while his 10 starts were tied for fourth in program history by a Longhorns’ freshman quarterback.

Jahleel Billingsley, TE (Alabama)

Billingsley transferred to the 40 Acres as a senior in 2022 and played in four games, catching three passes for 38 yards before abruptly leaving the team at the end of November. He sat out the first six games of the season due to suspension.

Agiye Hall, WR (Alabama)

Hall arrived on the 40 Acres as a sophomore in August 2022 and almost immediately was suspended after being charged with criminal mischief. He made his debut in week 3 against UTSA and played in three contests, catching one pass for seven yards at Texas Tech.

Tarique Milton, WR (Iowa State)

Milton came to Texas as a super senior in 2022 and played in 12 games with one start, catching two passes for 40 yards.

Isaiah Neyor, WR (Wyoming)

Neyor enrolled at Texas as a junior in January 2022 but suffered a knee injury during preseason training camp and did not appear in any games.