Texas Football: 3 potential Texas A&M transfers the Horns can pursue

Raymond Cottrell, WR*

The only Texas A&M player on this list who has already entered the transfer portal is freshman wide receiver Raymond Cottrell. The former four-star recruit in the 2023 class from Milton High School in Florida entered the transfer portal on Nov. 12, immediately after the news of the firing of Fisher in College Station.

On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported on Nov. 20 that Texas is one of the nearly two dozen schools that have already contacted Cottrell since he entered the transfer portal a little over one week ago.

The fact that Cottrell and Texas have already at least established some form of reported communication makes him an obvious addition to this list of Texas A&M players the Longhorns can target in the portal in this cycle.

But would the fit between Cottrell and the Longhorns make much sense this coming offseason?

Yes and no.

Why he would make sense for the Longhorns is he could fill a depth need in the receiving corps on the boundary heading into the 2024 season. Texas could lose two or three boundary receivers to the NFL Draft and/or the transfer portal during the 2024 offseason, depending on how roster attrition plays out for Sark and Jackson in the next few months.

Mitchell will likely declare early for the 2024 NFL Draft.

And there has been some speculation that redshirt junior wide receiver Isaiah Neyor could enter the portal to seek more playing time elsewhere after he’s only received a handful of reps in live-game action with the Longhorns this fall.

We also shouldn’t discount the possibility of other upperclassmen at receiver for the Longhorns testing the waters in the portal to find more playing time elsewhere this offseason. Junior Casey Cain fits the bill in that category of Texas wideouts who could seek more playing time elsewhere next year.

Odds are that Texas will lose at least one of those three boundary receivers this offseason. And it’s definitely possible that Texas loses most or all of those aforementioned boundary receivers.

If Texas does lose multiple boundary receivers to the NFL Draft and the portal in 2024, Cottrell could be an option to help replace lost depth at the position. Cottrell has the frame, at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, to be a viable boundary receiver in Sark’s offense.

The argument against Texas pursuing Cottrell is twofold. First, Texas’ top focus in the portal at boundary receiver this offseason will be someone who can come in and start immediately. Cottrell wouldn’t fit that role since he’s still early in his development as an SEC-caliber receiver.

Secondly, Texas didn’t show interest in Cottrell during his recruitment in the 2023 cycle. Texas didn’t see enough during the scouting process to offer him, and he’s never visited Austin as someone being actively pursued by the Longhorns’ coaching staff.

Could minds have changed regarding Cottrell’s game and fit at Texas on the staff? Absolutely.

But it’s only been a year since Cottrell was recruited out of high school, and he’s only received a handful of live-game reps at Texas A&M during his true freshman campaign this fall. Odds are that he hasn’t completely transformed his game in less than a year.