3 possible portal targets to watch for Texas in November

Jaheim Oatis, DT

Big-bodied former Alabama defensive tackle Jaheim Oatis decided to take a redshirt and enter the transfer portal next offseason, after playing four games for the Tide this fall. Oatis decided to enter the transfer portal after his snaps were pretty limited on defense under first-year Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.

Oatis was a promising defensive tackle at Alabama in his first two years in Tuscaloosa. He started over a dozen games in 2022 and 2023, racking up over 50 combined tackles, two sacks, 20 quarterback pressures, 28 defensive stops.

The former SEC All-Freshman Team honoree Oatis will likely garner a lot of interest from big P4 programs in the portal during the winter transfer window.

The 6-foot-5 and 325-pound Oatis has the type of size that the Longhorns want from their "big humans" in the trenches on each side of the ball.

Texas is losing multiple starters and/or starting-caliber defensive tackles to the NFL Draft and/or due to exhausted eligibility next offseason. Senior defensive tackles Alfred Collins, Vernon Broughton, Jermayne Lole, and Tia Savea are all expected to either head to the NFL Draft or will be out of eligibility after this 2024-25 season.

Kenny Baker and the Longhorns have two talented defensive tackle blue-chip commitments in the 2025 class. But Texas still needs at least one or two immediate impact defensive tackles to replace the depth they're losing to the draft and eligibility next spring.