Texas Football: 3 positions of need to tackle in post-spring portal window
EDGE
Edge rusher is likely going to be a position group that Pete Kwiatkowski and the Longhorns are looking to make moves in the portal for the next couple of years. This position is just too valuable to let an all-conference type player in the Power Five get away without at least trying to bring them in on a visit.
Texas is trying to find that ultra-valuable impact edge rusher (specifically that can get after the quarterback) mostly by developing the talent currently on campus this spring. And it does look as if PK and the Longhorns are making some progress this spring with some edge rushers that will eventually be studs on the 40 (i.e. Ethan Burke, Colton Vasek, J’Mond Tapp, and Justice Finkley).
For the time being, though, there is only one proven edge rusher on campus for the Longhorns, junior Barryn Sorrell. The third-year edge player Sorrell had the beginning stages of a breakout campaign last season, nearly registering double-digit tackles for loss, a half dozen sacks, and three-dozen quarterback pressures.
Texas is looking to find the answer at the buck position opposite of Sorrell this year. And while it’s a longshot to expect the answer to emerge in the transfer portal after spring ball, Texas will at least keep its finger on the pulse at the position on the transfer market.
The most likely edge rusher currently in the portal that Texas could kick the tires on is the former Florida State Seminoles 6-foot-4 and 255-pound redshirt junior Derrick McLendon II. McLendon was a reliable contributor in the defensive line/edge rusher rotation for head coach Mike Norvell and the Seminoles in the last couple of years.
He registered nine sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 45 quarterback pressures, and 35 stops in the last two seasons at Florida State. Those are some pretty solid numbers for an edge player that was a reliable full-time starter for a winning Power Five program in Florida State last year.
I’d agree with the take Bobby Burton of Inside Texas/On Texas Football floated in a show on April 8. Burton floated the idea that Texas should essentially kick the tires on a proven depth player that can sure up the edge position such as McLendon in the transfer portal post-spring.
McLendon is an adept pass rusher that can also help Texas set the edge in run defense. He was tied for the fourth most run stops among ACC edge rushers last season, with 18.
If nothing else, McLendon is at least a more proven commodity at the edge position than some of the greener underclassmen for the Longhorns such as Burke, Finkley, Vasek, etc.