6 way-too-early transfer targets to watch for Texas football in 2023

Landen King, TE

A name that some Texas fans should be familiar with is an Auburn Tigers skill player that just emerged in the transfer portal. The former Texas commit and three-star recruit Landen King put his name in the transfer portal earlier in the week, amid the exodus of Auburn players to do so in the last seven or 10 days.

King was committed to the Longhorns in the 2021 class when Tom Herman was still Texas’ head coach. But he would later de-commit roughly one month after originally committing to Texas in the spring of 2020.

If Sark and special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Jeff Banks are seeking out help at this position during the offseason, King would be the first place I would look at the moment. He’s a very capable blocking tight end, which was the highest-graded in run and pass blocking at his position in the last two seasons for Auburn.

The 6-foot-5 and 220-pound King also has potential as a receiver as he showed a lot of versatility during his season and a half or so playing for Auburn. He made a couple of nice catches in the last two seasons and was even moved to play some slot receiver last fall.

https://twitter.com/AuburnFootball/status/1571237343465709569

King could be an interesting transfer portal target given the multiplicity he would bring to the table for Texas’ offense at the tight end position. But the reality is that Texas will already be five or six scholarship tight ends deep next year. The numbers might be too tight to go after someone like King.

Zykeivous Walker, DL

Among the most intriguing targets that the Longhorns could realistically check out heading into next offseason is the former Auburn blue-chip recruit and junior defensive lineman Zykeivous Walker.

A report from 247Sports last week mentions that Walker decided to leave the Auburn team after taking snaps in just one game this season. But this report notes that Walker didn’t have anything that would be construed in a bad light in terms of what he is dealing with off-the-field.

Given the burning hot seat that Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin is sitting on this fall, I think that Walker is just looking for a change of scenery.

And given the need that Texas could have to get some depth back in the mix along the defensive line next offseason, Walker makes a lot of sense as a Longhorns target in the portal. Texas is bound to lose the likes of senior Keondre Coburn, senior T’Vondre Sweat, and senior Moro Ojomo to the NFL Draft in 2023.

Walker is a talented 6-foot-4 and 305-pound former blue-chip recruit that was ranked as a top-100 prospect coming out of high school. He’s got the talent and versatility to play at any three or four-tech spot on the defensive line. And Walker showed flashes in the last few seasons of becoming a truly versatile interior defensive lineman that can effectively plug the gaps up the middle in run defense and cause some disruptions by creating pressure in the pass rush up the middle.

If Walker checks out for this staff, I like him as a possible early portal target for Texas next offseason.