Don’t panic over Texas football missing out on Jordan Addison

On May 19, Texas football missed out on the NCAA Transfer Portal target that everyone was talking about this spring in the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner and former Pitt Panthers star sophomore wide receiver Jordan Addison. Texas was beaten out by new head coach Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans in the race to land a commitment from Addison out of the portal when he announced his decision on the afternoon of May 19.

Addison was the biggest star in the transfer portal, and the biggest target for the Longhorns out of the portal over the course of the last few weeks. Texas was a rising contender in the Addison sweepstakes as he went through the visit process in the last 10 days.

In fact, Texas was one of only two schools to get an official visit from Addison through this transfer process. The other was obviously USC.

Moreover, while it is disappointing that second-year head coach Steve Sarkisian, new wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Brennan Marion, and the Longhorns missed out on Addison, this is definitely no reason for the fans to panic. Texas’ wide receiver room is just too talented without Addison in the mix for this team and/or fan base to sweat missing out on him too much.

Texas seemingly didn’t miss out on Addison due to a lack of NIL resources or a poor recruiting pitch from the likes of Sark and Marion. It sounds like Addison saw a bigger opportunity to prove his NFL stature with the Trojans, and he felt more comfortable playing with a more proven quarterback in Caleb Williams over Texas’ Quinn Ewers.

If you look at this a different way, the takeaway from the commitment of Addison for the Longhorns could be that, if another star skill position transfer emerges next offseason, Texas could be in a better position to win them over. Granted, that will depend on how Ewers and/or Hudson Card performs on the field this fall.

Texas football fans shouldn’t be pressing the panic button after missing on Jordan Addison to USC

Texas still has two big-time additions to the receiving corps out of the portal so far this offseason in the former Wyoming Cowboys breakout redshirt freshman Isaiah Neyor and Alabama Crimson Tide touted freshman Agiye Hall. That’s not to mention that Sark, Marion, and the Longhorns were still able to add depth to the wide receiver room with a preferred walk-on and grad transfer in the former Montana senior Gabe Sulser.

The fact that Texas has a projected starting trio of wideouts that includes sophomore Xavier Worthy, redshirt junior Jordan Whittington, and Neyor, just goes to show how spoiled this team is at this position already. Adding Addison to the mix just would’ve made an already great wide receiver that much better.

Texas didn’t round out spring ball with a need to add another instant impact wide receiver. And there is already star power present in this receiving corps with Worthy leading the way. Texas also has potential rising stars in this receiving corps with the likes of Whittington, Neyor, Hall, and even incoming freshman speedster Brenen Thompson.

Beyond all the weapons that Texas has at wideout, the other skill positions are pretty loaded too. Texas has a lot of potential at tight end with the duo of rising senior Jahleel Billingsley and sophomore Ja’Tavion Sanders looking to breakthrough this fall.

That’s not to mention how good this running back room is for the Longhorns. Spearheaded by the rising junior star Bijan Robinson, senior Roschon Johnson, and redshirt junior Keilan Robinson, Sark and the Longhorns will have plenty of weapons to work with at running back this coming season.

It’s also worth noting that there are other big positions of need for Sark and the Longhorns staff to address in the transfer portal heading into the summer.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the biggest portal target at a position of need for the Longhorns at this point of the offseason is the former FCS All-American and James Madison Dukes senior linebacker Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey. Texas landing a commitment out of the portal from Tucker-Dorsey could wind up making a bigger impact this fall for the linebacker room than adding Addison would do for the receiving corps.

Texas is already loaded at wide receiver, but they need help along the defensive front (specifically at linebacker and edge rusher).

All in all, Texas missing out on Addison does hurt. But in the end, the Longhorns should be fine as this is still one of the most talented wide receiver rooms in the Power Five. Texas adding Addison to this receiving corps would’ve taken an already great group to another level. It wasn’t going to bring a much-needed impact transfer to the table.

Addison committing to the Trojans gives Riley and his staff their whopping 18th addition by way of the portal this offseason. Meanwhile, Texas has five additions out of the portal so far this offseason, with the highest-rated transfer being the former Ohio State Buckeyes freshman quarterback Ewers.