3 early-fall possible transfer targets for Texas
Jason Brooks Jr., OT
Another position group that wouldn't surprise me if the Longhorns looked for help from the transfer portal at next offseason is along the offensive line. Kyle Flood and the Longhorns could possibly lose four or five starters along the offensive line to the NFL Draft next spring.
Interior offensive line starters Jake Majors and Hayden Conner exhaust their eligibility in college after this season. Juniors Kelvin Banks Jr. and Cam Williams are also very likely to declare early for the 2025 NFL Draft. Junior guard DJ Campbell has also been discussed as a possible early entrant next spring for the NFL Draft.
Texas has recruited and developed offensive line talent at an extremely high level under Flood and Co. over the past couple of years. But Texas could also add proven experience from the portal to shore up spots that could use experienced starters to anchor the offensive line competition next season and in camp in 2025.
Outside of junior OL Cole Hutson, Texas won't have any offensive linemen on the roster next season (assuming all five starters leave for the NFL next spring) who have started a single game in college on their roster.
For help among big humans along the interior offensive line, one potential option that could fit that mould in the portal for the Longhorns next offseason is former Oklahoma State Cowboys grad transfer guard Jason Brooks Jr. The multi-year starter at left guard and two-time transfer from Oklahoma State and the Vanderbilt Commodores brings the type of size and proven experience playing in the P4 that Flood and Co. would ideally look for in the portal next year.
Brooks started over a dozen games over the past three seasons, when healthy, for Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt. Unfortunately, injuries limited Brooks' number of starts at Oklahoma State since late in the 2022 season.
When he was healthy for Oklahoma State in the trenches since 2022, he was one of the higher-graded interior blockers in the Big 12. He ranked among the top 25 percentile of starting offensive guards in run blocking in 2022 and 2023 in the Big 12. Brooks also ranked in the top half of starting interior offensive linemen in pass-blocking efficiency since the 2022 season in the Big 12.
At 6-foot-3 and 310-pounds, Brooks has the size and strength Texas would want for a "big human" who could compete in the trenches and provide solid depth for the IOL in 2025.