David Blay, DT (Louisiana Tech)
This past Saturday, Texas got an important defensive line pickup from the winter portal on the first weekend of transfer visits from the All-Big Ten Honorable Mention D-tackle Brevard on Dec. 14.
Texas and defensive line coach Kenny Baker were also expected to host former UCF Knights grad transfer defensive tackle Lee Hunter for a visit early this week. But it looks like Hunter has been trending to the Texas Tech Red Raiders after he made the trip out to Lubbock for a visit earlier today (on Dec. 17).
Since the Longhorns are still looking to add at least two more quality linemen from the portal in the trenches for the upcoming offseason from other P4 schools, the best options might not even be out there available on the transfer market yet for Texas.
That said, I think it's worth kicking the tires on a handful of bigger experienced Group of Five defensive lineman transfers in the portal in the winter window. Former Louisiana Tech Bulldogs junior transfer defensive tackle David Blay has the size and resume as one of the top G5 defensive line transfers to maybe intrigue Texas in the portal.
The First-Team All-Conference-USA defensive lineman for Louisiana Tech, Blay ranked in the top 10 among G5 defensive tackles in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (11) in 2024.
Baker and the Longhorns need really productive and versatile defensive tackles who can hold up in the trenches in the SEC in the defensive line rotation in this weekly grind playing in this conference.
The 6-foot-4 and 305-pound defensive tackle from the Philadelphia area was productive for Louisiana Tech in two games against P4 competition this fall. Blay had over a half-dozen tackles, three tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks against NC State and Arkansas for the Bulldogs' front on defense.