Texas Football: Tarik Black joins Sam Ehlinger with the Colts as a UDFA

The undrafted free agent signings keep pouring in for the Texas football program in the hours following the conclusion of day three of the 2021 NFL Draft. The first big-time undrafted free agent signing announced among Texas Exes in this draft class came with the Dallas Cowboys adding former junior wide receiver Brennan Eagles.

And the next name up among former Longhorns signed down as undrafted free agents at the next level on the night of May 1 came with the reported addition by the Indianapolis Colts of the Texas Ex senior wide receiver Tarik Black. The former Michigan Wolverine joined Texas last offseason as a graduate transfer out of the NCAA Transfer Portal.

While both Eagles and Black had the chance to return to the Forty Acres for at least one more year, they decided to ultimately take their talents to the next level. The physical tools for both Eagles and Black would suggest that they have the potential to be middle round-level talents at the very least.

But various injury and consistency issues for both of those two means they will now have an uphill battle to make an NFL roster. The 6-foot-3 and 220 pound Black is a very gifted athlete that was a very highly touted four-star recruit. But he registered just 50 catches for 747 receiving yards and three touchdowns in four years between his time with Texas and Michigan.

Why the Colts are a good fit for former Texas football WR Tarik Black?

Nonetheless, landing with the Colts is special for Black. The Colts do need to add depth in their receiving corps, and they’ve taken on other former undrafted free agent wide receivers in the past among former Longhorns, like Marcus Johnson. It is nice to see Black also land in the same spot that former star senior Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger did in the 2021 draft.

Head coach Frank Reich and the Colts snagged Ehlinger with the 218th overall pick in the sixth round of the draft. Ehlinger could now have the chance to compete for a backup spot with the Colts behind the former North Dakota State Bison and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz.

Given the Colts depth needs in the receiving corps, there is a legitimate opportunity for Black to make some headway up their depth chart this offseason and potentially make it onto their final roster ahead of the 2021 regular season. Black does have that talent level that could contribute for the Colts at a bargain bin price in the near future.

Behind the standout trio that is T.Y. Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., and Parris Campbell, the Colts have some questions surrounding their receiving corps. Having a solid rookie class at the position this offseason could help the Colts answer some of those questions.

Texas had five players selected in the actual seven rounds of the draft. That all started with offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi getting picked up 51st overall in the second round of the draft by the Washington Football Team.