4 diamonds in the rough Texas football can find in the portal
Chris Akporoghene, G
It’s almost always slim pickings among the actually impactful offensive linemen that surface in the transfer portal each offseason. This offseason is no exception to that.
At this point of the offseason, there are even fewer options among offensive linemen in the transfer portal too. Most offensive linemen that would be worth a look from offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Flood and the Longhorns this offseason have already found their next home out of the portal.
Yet, one that is still available in the portal for Flood and the Longhorns worth looking into is the former Tennessee Volunteers’ rising redshirt junior offensive guard Chris Akporoghene. This former three-star recruit looked like he might be able to push as a dark horse contending for a starting offensive guard role with head coach Josh Heupel and the Vols this year.
But Akporoghene would ultimately enter the portal in the midst of winter workouts back in late January. And he has yet to find his next landing spot out of the portal.
The value that the 6-foot-4 and 310-pound Akporoghene could bring to the table for the Longhorns would mainly be to shore up the depth at the right guard position. That might be the thinnest and most unproven spot along the offensive line for the Longhorns, with the projected starter at the moment looking like either sophomore Hayden Conner or incoming freshman Devon Campbell.
Akporoghene has a similar frame to the incoming freshman Campbell, but he at least has a few years of work and roughly two-dozen live game reps under his belt from his time with the Vols. He’s also one of the more athletic and fluid guards Texas could find of any that entered the portal so far this offseason and one that still has some untapped potential left.
With Texas likely needing as much depth and experience as they can get along the offensive line this fall, Akporoghene would make sense as a veteran voice for this position group out of the portal.