3 early-fall possible transfer targets for Texas
A little over one month into the 2024 season in the SEC, it's a good time for Texas football to assess what needs might be on the horizon on the roster for each side of the ball next offseason. In this day and age of college football, the NCAA Transfer Portal is becoming just as important for assessing entering each offseason as high school recruiting is regarding addressing immediate roster needs at key positions.
Evaluating early possible transfer portal needs and targets for Texas football this fall
The Longhorns are expected to have heavy roster turnover at a few key position groups, especially around the line of scrimmage, next offseason for the NFL Draft. Texas could lose most or all of its starters at positions like the offensive line, defensive tackle, tight end, and wide receiver next spring either due to exhausted eligibility or the NFL Draft declarations.
Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian have done a great job with assessing portal needs and the talent available in the past few transfer cycles to cherry pick where they can upgrade the roster on each side of the ball. I have full faith and confidence that Texas will make the most of utilizing its resources available for transfer portal recruiting at positions of need next offseason.
Here are three early possible portal targets to be aware of at the projected positions of need for the Longhorns based on potential starter losses for next offseason.
Jaden Mickey, CB
Defensive back will be one of the potential positional needs Texas can address in the transfer portal this offseason. Texas is set to lose super senior corner Jahdae Barron and senior safety Andrew Mukuba due to exhausted eligibility for the upcoming offseason.
Barron will be a big loss at the corner position for the Longhorns. Texas will still have sophomore Malik Muhammad and likely redshirt junior Gavin Holmes at corner for another season.
But the fact that Texas could lose both Barron and junior nickel Jaylon Guilbeau to the NFL Draft next spring is a cause for the staff to evaluate their options in the portal in 2025.
A potential option among proven corners with multiple years of P4 experience in the portal for next offseason is Notre Dame Fighting Irish junior Jaden Mickey. The 6-foot and 180-pound third-year corner played 28 games for the Fighting Irish since 2022, including three starts.
Mickey was a key contributor for the Irish for the past few seasons, registering four pass breakups, 14 combined tackles, and one interception returned for a touchdown since the start of 2023. But he decided to redshirt after playing four games for Notre Dame early this season and enter the transfer portal for the upcoming offseason.
The former blue-chip recruit from Corona (CA) Centennial High School does have the type of size and versatility that the Longhorns would probably look at to cross-train in the secondary, if they were to hypothetically pursue a DB like Mickey in the portal next offseason. He's got experience playing slot and wide corner in the past few years at Notre Dame.
He also brings the type of size, foot speed, and wingspan that Pete Kwiatkowski and Terry Joseph like to have out on the field at the corner position in one-on-one pass coverage.