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VIDEO: What Syracuse DT Maraad Watson brings to the Texas Longhorns

Joe Cookby:Joe Cook•04/22/25•

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Kenny Baker
Kenny Baker (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

Texas lands yet another portal defensive tackle. Maraad Watson is an important grab with proven production and years of eligibility remaining. Joe Cook and Charlie Williams go over what his addition entails.

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Texas secured Maraad Watson, a highly-touted transfer defensive tackle from Syracuse, marking their fifth addition at this position. Watson is a freshman All-American who brings versatility, playing multiple techniques across the defensive front.

Despite having three years of eligibility, Watson’s speed, agility, and tenacity point to a possible early exit for the NFL. His film shows elite skills such as chasing down screen plays and collapsing run plays even from wide alignments.

Watson demonstrated the ability to line up at various techniques (1-tech, 3-tech, 4i, 5-tech), even handling option offenses with speed and awareness—traits rare for someone over 300 pounds.

Initially a low-rated high school recruit, Watson developed into a top 100 transfer prospect. His leap in development emphasizes Texas’ strategic use of the portal to fill recruitment gaps.

Unlike some past one-year plug-ins, Watson provides Texas with multiple years of eligibility, helping build continuity alongside veterans and recent recruits.

Watson is poised to potentially start alongside Cole Brevard in 2025, with Travis Shaw and Alex January also in rotation. This gives Texas a deep and flexible group.

Coaches and analysts praised his games against top-tier offenses like Miami and Washington State, where he posted impressive tackle numbers and showed elevated play late in the season.

Watson’s addition helps lighten the load on freshmen like Justus Terry and Josiah Sharma, letting them develop at a sustainable pace. This approach aims to build a sustainable and high-performance trench unit.

Watson is viewed as an extension of the 2024 recruiting class, plugging holes left by limited DT intake over the last two cycles.

This move could bump Texas into the top 20 portal rankings. Despite using the portal judiciously (only 10 additions), Texas maximizes value by targeting high-upside players with multiple years remaining.

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