3 biggest portal whiffs for Texas football this spring

Derrick Harmon, DL

Destination: Committed to Oregon

Former Michigan State Spartans junior defensive tackle Derrick Harmon was one of the top defensive linemen in the portal this spring. The 6-foot-5 and 330-pound fourth-year defensive lineman was an extremely productive tackle for the Spartans in the last couple of seasons.

Since 2022, Harmon registered 70 combined tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks for Michigan State.

Texas jumped in this portal recruitment for Harmon pretty late this spring. Defensive line coach Kenny Baker and the Longhorns were prioritizing other transfer defensive tackles in the portal following the conclusion of spring ball before they communicated with Harmon to any serious degree in April.

Texas's top defensive tackle transfers, including Arizona transfer Bill Norton, Toia, and TCU transfer Damonic Williams, occupied most of the staff's attention in the portal this spring. Harmon and fellow Michigan State defensive tackle transfer Simeon Barrow were viewed more as backup options for the Longhorns at defensive line in the last weeks of April in the portal.

Harmon's proven ability to play the zero, one, and 2i techniques against good competition for a Power Five defensive line made him such a highly-sough after tackle in the portal this spring. He and Barrow both performed at an All-Big Ten level at least once in the last two seasons, which isn't easy to find from the Power Five level in the portal at the defensive tackle position.