Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian go into the 2025 offseason with an emphasis on roster management and the NCAA Transfer Portal. The coming days and weeks will be extremely busy for Texas's coaching staff, having to manage roster turnover through NFL Draft declarations and the transfer portal with the new enrollees arriving on campus this week.
One Texas football star and a couple of quality players on the offensive side of the ball declare for the 2025 NFL Draft today
Sarkisian and the Longhorns will have to reload key positions on each side of the ball for this offseason from the transfer portal and the incoming No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the nation for the 2025 cycle in the 247Sports Composite.
Texas has already lost nearly a dozen players to the transfer portal during the winter window. Amid the College Football 12-team Playoff and the SEC Championship Game in early December, the Longhorns signed the best high school recruiting class of the Sarkisian era. Texas also signed four immediate-impact transfers during the winter portal since early December.
As more draft announcements are made public in the coming days, the Longhorns' portal needs will be clearer.
Jaydon Blue, RB
Junior running back Jaydon Blue declared for the 2025 NFL Draft today, he announced on social media. Blue registered over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns this season.
Love y’all longhorn nation 🤘🏾 ! #23out pic.twitter.com/QjkcYw32be
— DA BLUEPRINT💙 (@Jaydonblue23) January 12, 2025
Blue took advantage of the spotlight he gained from generating explosive plays this postseason. He led the team with four explosive plays for touchdowns during the College Football Playoff.
Texas's running back room should be in solid shape for the 2025 season. With Blue headed to the NFL Draft this spring, redshirt sophomore CJ Baxter Jr. and to-be junior Quintrevion Wisner will lead the running back room for the Longhorns in 2025.
Hayden Conner, G
Senior starting guard Hayden Conner exhausted his eligibility following the conclusion of the 2024 season. Conner didn't allow any sacks and allowed 15 quarterback pressures over 16 starts this season (per PFF).
#respectmydecision pic.twitter.com/SzWaoznZbP
— Hayden Conner (@HaydenConner) January 12, 2025
Senior center Jake Majors is expected to join Conner and declare for the 2025 NFL Draft this spring.
Kelvin Banks Jr., OT
It wasn't surprising to see junior offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. announce for the 2025 NFL Draft today, per a post on his Instagram page. Banks is expected to be a top 10 pick in the 2025 draft, as he is one of the top offensive linemen available this year in the class.
Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr. declares for the 2025 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/va25iTkTpl
— Hook'em Headlines (@HookemHeadlines) January 12, 2025
Banks was an All-American and All-SEC First-Team selection for the Longhorns in 2024. He won the Outland and Lombardi trophies in college football this season.
It remains to be seen what the NFL Draft decision will be for Texas's other starting offensive tackle opposite of Banks, junior Cameron Williams. There is a chance that Williams will return to Texas for another season for his senior campaign in 2025.