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Texas addresses three major needs with Friday's transfer portal additions

Joe Cookby:Joe Cook•04/19/25•

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Cal TE Jack Endries
© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Earlier this week on Tuesday, Eric Nahlin identified several positions the Texas Longhorns needed to address via the transfer portal. On Friday, the Longhorns knocked out three of those needs within the span of a couple of hours.

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Texas landed Maryland defensive tackle Lavon Johnson, California tight end Jack Endries, and Texas State kicker Mason Shipley on Friday night. Two of those three additions are likely instant-impact players while one is an addition that serves to strengthen overall depth.

Let’s look at all three.

Lavon Johnson, Maryland

2024 stats: 14 tackles, 1 tackle for loss

Need addressed: Additional defensive tackle depth

Johnson is a type of transfer portal addition that isn’t necessarily flashy. Not a high school prospect but not necessarily a player expected to make a significant immediate impact, Johnson can provide snaps at defensive tackle this year without a worry that the game will be two much for him as he has two years of experience in a Power Four program. He also isn’t just a one-year rental.

Texas looked to the transfer portal for four defensive lineman, and with Johnson they now have that quartet along with Hero Kanu, Cole Brevard, and Travis Shaw. Along with Alex January, Justus Terry, and other underclassmen defensive tackles, there are a number of options for Kenny Baker to assess when looking to create his rotation for the 2025 campaign. The smart mixture of quality veterans, talented freshmen, and potential depth has Texas feeling good numbers wise about defensive tackle. The next step is turning it into quality play.

Jack Endries, California

2024 stats: 56 catches, 623 yards, two touchdowns

Need addressed: Starting TE

With Jordan Washington, Emaree Winston, and Nick Townsend, the future of the Texas tight end position is bright. But the present needed bolstering for Arch Manning’s first year as starter.

That’s where Endries comes in. A great receiver and a spirited pass-blocker, Endries will do more with the ball in his hands as opposed to creating space for others to run through. That’s something Steve Sarkisian can work with, as the skill set is akin to what Ja’Tavion Sanders brought to the table in 2022 and 2023. Manning’s own skill set will mitigate the need for advanced run blocking from Endries, and the Longhorns will utilize the Cal tight end often in 2025 as part of the passing attack.

Mason Shipley, Texas State

2024 stats: 15-for-19 FG, 53-for-55 PAT

Need addressed: Starting kicker

Bert Auburn and Will Stone entered a position battle in the spring, but returns from that competition weren’t confidence inspiring. So to immediately upgrade the position, Texas sought Shipley. It had to fend off TCU, UCF, and Oklahoma to do it, but the Longhorns earned Shipley’s signature and now have a proven commodity at kicker.

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Auburn entered the portal, and it remains to be seen what Stone elects to do. It’s part of college football now. The end result is that the Longhorns now have a kicker they can be confident in for big situations.

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