Texas Football: 4 updated transfer linebacker candidates

1. Tyree Thompson, UCLA

If the Longhorns want another shot at getting the services of a breakthrough one-year wonder, then they should look no further than the former JUCO transfer and rising redshirt senior inside linebacker Tyree Thompson. The 6-foot-2 and 235 pound California native is eligible immediately and could have a big final year in college ahead of him if he finds the right scheme fit and is able to stay healthy.

The only year of playing time that Thompson really got with the UCLA Bruins, under head coach Chip Kelly, was in 2018. That was his first with a Power Five program after transferring from Los Angeles Valley College in Mission Hills, CA. He made an impact right away, but that’s really the only impact he made during his time at UCLA before putting his name into the transfer portal.

During that solid 2018 campaign, Thompson raked in 55 total tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and one pass deflection. He did get to play in 12 games that season, but none in 2019. The best game he played in 2018 was arguably (and ironically) against the Longhorns hated rival Oklahoma Sooners, as he registered 1.5 tackles for loss.

Coming out of Bishop Alemany High School, Thompson didn’t hold any Division I offers. That’s why he chose to enroll in LAVC for two years. He did have six offers coming out of his JUCO run. Those offers came from the Vanderbilt Commodores, North Texas Mean Green, Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, FCS Rhode Island Rams, Toledo Rockets, and UCLA.

Thompson ranked as the nation’s No. 128 2018 JUCO prospect, No. 3 inside linebacker, and No. 26 JUCO prospect out of California.