Texas football, under head coach Steve Sarkisian, will focus on identifying players in the NCAA Transfer Portal this month to strengthen the roster in key areas of need during the winter window.
As the winter transfer portal window opened on December 9, Texas is now able to scout potential recruits who could help address positions with expected turnover heading into the 2025 season.
Key positions the Longhorns are expected to target include defensive tackle, linebacker, special teams, wide receiver, and possibly running back.
In addition to already signing more than two dozen high school players in the 2025 class during the Early Signing Period, Texas could add as many as 36 or more new players this offseason, including transfers.
With seven players recently departing for the transfer portal, it’s likely Texas will be very active in shopping for talent during December.
One of the first potential transfer commitments could be Quinten Joyner, a running back from USC. Despite having several running backs on the roster for 2025, Sarkisian and the coaching staff are expected to seek a bigger, more physical back to fill a specific role in their offense. Joyner, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound redshirt freshman from Manor, TX, had an impressive freshman season with the Trojans, showcasing a blend of size, speed, and athleticism. He led the Big Ten in yards per carry, contributing significantly to USC’s rushing attack. Joyner also impressed with his ability to avoid tackles and gain yards after contact.
Tacario Davis, a junior cornerback from Arizona, is considered one of the top NFL Draft prospects currently available in the transfer portal. Standing 6-foot-4, Davis is a rare talent with excellent ball skills, size, and length. In 2024, he earned All-Big 12 honors and was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award. He also won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors during the season.
Throughout his career at Arizona, Davis accumulated 76 combined tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, 22 pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and 19 defensive stops. In the 2023 season, he emerged as a standout, leading the conference with 15 pass breakups and earning an 85.9 PFF coverage grade. His performance earned him AP Pac-12 Second-Team honors.
On December 11, On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Davis officially entered the transfer portal, marking his second consecutive offseason in the portal. He had entered the portal last year but chose to return to Arizona for the Wildcats’ inaugural season in the Big 12. When Davis entered the portal previously, Texas expressed interest, particularly after hiring Arizona’s coach Nansen to replace Jeff Choate on the Longhorns’ defensive staff. This connection could play a role if Davis decides to bypass the NFL Draft and transfer again.
Duce Robinson, a former USC sophomore tight end/wide receiver, is another player the Longhorns are closely following in the transfer portal. Robinson, a highly touted five-star recruit from Phoenix (AZ) Pinnacle High School, is currently one of the top receiver prospects available for the winter transfer window.
Texas finished as the runner-up behind USC when Robinson committed to the Trojans in the 2024 class last offseason. Over the past two seasons at USC, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound wideout totaled 39 receptions for 747 yards (19.2 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns.
Adding a receiver with Robinson’s impressive talent and potential would be a huge boost for the Longhorns, especially with multiple years of eligibility remaining.
Robinson was a major playmaker for USC, ranking second on the team in explosive receiving plays over the past two seasons (according to PFF).
One key factor in Robinson’s recruitment is whether he will pursue both football and baseball. As a two-sport athlete at USC, Robinson has balanced playing both sports over the past few years.
Given that Texas was a close contender for Robinson during his high school recruitment, it seems likely they will explore the possibility of targeting him in the transfer portal this winter.
One of Texas’s most pressing needs for special teams is at punter. The Longhorns’ punting game was inconsistent this season, with true freshman Michael Kern and sophomore Ian Ratliff sharing the duties.
Special teams coordinator Jeff Banks and the coaching staff will almost certainly prioritize upgrading the punter position during the upcoming offseason.
Texas ranked 75th in the FBS this season in average starting field position on defense, according to College Football Data.
However, finding a reliable and experienced punter in the transfer portal is challenging, as many other Power 5 programs are also looking to enhance their special teams and field position.
Among the top punters available is Tommy Doman, a former Michigan Wolverines senior punter/kicker. Doman, who was named an All-Big Ten Third-Team selection in 2023, has ranked among the top three punters in the conference in each of the past two seasons. In Michigan’s victory over USC this season, he recorded five punts of at least 50 yards.
Doman has averaged over 42 yards per punt and has consistently posted at least four seconds of hangtime over his two seasons handling Michigan’s punting duties.
Other punters with solid FBS experience that the Longhorns may consider include Oklahoma State’s Hudson Kaak, Utah’s Jack Bouwmeester, and Washington State’s Nick Haberer.
