Texas Football: 3 transfers ready to make an immediate impact

Ben Davis, LB

Among the early anticipated transfers that the Longhorns got this offseason was the former Alabama linebacker and five-star recruit Ben Davis. The senior linebacker was one of the biggest linebacker recruits of the 2010s for the Crimson Tide, but he just never lived up to the hype during his time in Tuscaloosa.

In his four years playing for the Crimson Tide, Davis played in less than a dozen games, in a total of well under 100 snaps. Considering that the former Gordo High School product and top-ranked linebacker recruit in the nation for the 2016 cycle came to Tuscaloosa with so much hype, that’s not much production to get excited about.

And in the few snaps that Davis did play in with Alabama, he registered just seven combined tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one pass breakup.

The time for Davis to truly break through will come with new co-defensive coordinators/linebackers coaches Pete Kwiatkowski and Jeff Choate with the Longhorns this fall. A much-needed change of scenery could help an NFL-caliber talent like Davis get to that next level. This really will be his final shot to make this kind of an impact with a Power Five team in 2021.

Texas is also in need of a linebacker/pass rusher that can help fill the void from many lost starters from last year’s team. Some of the production Texas is losing from the departed former star outside linebacker/edge rusher Joseph Ossai can be filled by the likes of Davis and former Notre Dame Fighting Irish edge rusher Ovie Oghoufo.

Early signs look to be positive for Davis this summer, but more work is to come. He’ll need to really show out in fall camp to establish a starting role for himself in this front seven.