Per On3's Hayes Fawcett, former Ohio State Buckeyes junior transfer defensive tackle Hero Kanu has committed to Texas football. He committed to Texas over the Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, and Texas A&M Aggies.
More depth and skill added to defensive tackle from the winter portal for Texas football in former Ohio State DL Hero Kanu
This news comes after Kanu officially visited Texas over the weekend. He also visited Gainesville to see Florida and Athens to see Georgia in the past week.
During his quick official visit to Texas this past weekend on Sunday, Kanu had a great experience and saw what he wanted to know to commit to the Longhorns in the portal this week, as he told Horns247 a few days ago.
"Man, it was cool. It was only a limited time so it was only like a conversation. I had a good conversation with Coach Sark. Just having a conversation about the future."Hero Kanu
In the past two seasons at Ohio State, Kanu registered 14 combined tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, five quarterback pressures, and 10 defensive stops.
During the 2024 season, Kanu played 123 defensive snaps over 15 games for the Buckeyes (per PFF). He registered one tackle and one defensive stop in the College Football Playoff national semifinals at the Cotton Bowl against the Longhorns this past postseason.
Kanu is the third transfer defensive tackle that the Longhorns have signed in the winter portal window, joining former North Carolina Tar Heels junior transfer Travis Shaw and Purdue Boilermakers senior grad transfer Cole Brevard.
Getting Kanu from the transfer portal is a big win for Kenny Baker and the Longhorns' staff early this offseason. The 6-foot-4 and 315-pound defensive tackle helps the Longhorns restore depth and get more size along the interior defensive line in the trenches for the 2025 season in the SEC.
Kanu is a former blue-chip prospect from Rancho Santa Margarita (CA) Santa Margarita Catholic in the 2022 class. He ranked as the No. 129 prospect nationally in the 2022 class in the 247Sports Composite, No. 19 defensive lineman, and No. 7 from California.
He is originally from German, and played soccer growing up. Kanu started playing football a few years ago in 2021.
What Kanu brings to the Longhorns is a talented and strong interior defensive lineman who can effectively battle double-teams and anchor the line in run defense. He's got the physical tools and high-end athleticism to develop into a proficient interior pass rusher.
With two years of eligibility remaining, Kanu has time to develop into a more polished and versatile defensive tackle for the Longhorns in the trenches.