Sawyer Goram-Welch, DT (Coastal Carolina)
Graduate transfer senior lineman Sawyer Goram-Welch spent the final season of his collegiate eligibility as a starting nose tackle for Coastal Carolina. Goram-Welch started a career-high 11 games for Coastal Carolina's defense, registering 28 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.
He was an important starter in the trenches to help Coastal Carolina and head coach Tim Beck reach bowl eligibility.
Verdict: Starred
Trill Carter, DT (Auburn)
Senior defensive tackle Trill Carter played the final season of his eligibility in college with the Auburn Tigers after having transferred from Texas and Minnesota. He registered four combined tackles and one tackle for loss in nine games as a backup defensive lineman for the Tigers' front seven.
Verdict: Sunk
Kris Ross, EDGE (Nevada)
Edge rusher/defensive lineman Kris Ross was one of the many former Texas transfers who joined Choate at Nevada for the 2024 season by way of the transfer portal. Ross was a key contributor at EDGE/outside backer for the Wolf Pack this fall, registering a career-high six tackles for loss, three sacks, and 2 pass breakups.
Ross has surpassed expectations and started fulfilling his potential as former blue-chip recruit in Nevada's EDGE rotation this season.
Verdict: Starred
Zac Swanson, DL (Arizona State)
Many talented and versatile players on the defensive side of the ball don't necessarily win playing time right away for the Longhorns' defensive front.
Sophomore defensive lineman Zac Swanson has succeeded in his role as a key contributor for Arizona State's defensive front as a rotational three tech and five tech at defensive tackle this fall. Swanson registered a career-high 16 combined tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack for an Arizona State team that won the Big 12 and made it to the 12-team College Football Playoff this postseason.
Verdict: Starred
J'mond Tapp, EDGE (Arizona State)
The former four-star EDGE recruit from Louisiana, sophomore J'mond Tapp, has always possessed the talent and natural physical ability to be a very disruptive edge rusher and a potent pass rusher.
Tapp didn't develop at the rate Texas hoped he would in the first two years he spent with the Longhorns' defensive front. He saw the field for two defensive snaps in a non-conference game against Texas State Arizona State's front seven this fall.
Verdict: Sunk
Billy Walton III, EDGE (SMU)
Redshirt freshman edge rusher Billy Walton III was a late-cycle flip for the Longhorns from Oklahoma State in the 2023 recruiting class. After spending one season at Texas during his true freshman campaign in 2023, Walton returned home to join the SMU Mustangs in Dallas last offseason.
Walton registered 11 combined tackles and one tackle for loss in a career-high nine games played for SMU's defense in 2024. He will participate in the College Football Playoff for the second year in a row with 11-seed SMU this postseason.