3 biggest transfer portal whiffs for Texas football so far in 2022

Drew Sanders, EDGE/LB

Among the early offseason transfer portal targets for the Longhorns that was a big priority was the former Alabama Crimson Tide sophomore outside linebacker and elite five-star recruit Drew Sanders. Texas was in the mix with the likes of the Oklahoma Sooners and Arkansas Razorbacks earlier this offseason in the race to land a commitment from Sanders out of the portal.

Yet, Texas could now beat out the Razorbacks as head coach Sam Mitchell would wind up winning the Sanders sweepstakes a few months ago.

In hindsight, missing out on Sanders looks worse than it originally did a few months back. Texas could really use the versatile and insanely-talented Sanders in the mix either as a linebacker or edge rusher. He really fits the bill of what Texas needs likely coming off the edge.

Sanders is probably going to wind up being one of the most appealing transfer linebackers/edge rushers that will appear in the portal throughout the entirety of the offseason.

He was already flashing of what he could become playing for the Crimson Tide last season where he registered a double-digit number of quarterback pressures, two-dozen combined tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and two pass breakups.

This feels like the type of portal target that Pete Kwiatkowski and Jeff Choate will need to start hitting on soon. Sanders would be an immediate difference-maker for the Longhorns that could also lift the program on the defensive side of the ball over the long term.