Predicting Texas's first portal commitment this spring

Texas football can officially recruit in the NCAA Transfer Portal among the underclassmen available when the spring window opens on April 16. In just a couple of days, Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian can work to fill some of the few remaining positional needs on the roster in the spring portal window.

Texas football needs to add a proven interior DL in the portal this spring

Outside of special teams, the only pronounced need for the Longhorns in the portal this spring is at defensive tackle. After losing its two top defensive tackles to the 2024 NFL Draft this offseason in redshirt senior T'Vondre Sweat and junior Byron Murphy II, Texas needs to shore up the depth along the interior defensive line entering the SEC this upcoming season.

Adding players isn't the only storyline to watch for the Longhorns in the spring portal window, though. Texas is still three players above the scholarship limit of 85. Redshirt freshman linebacker S'Maje Burrell entering the transfer portal after he was indefinitely suspended from the program last week was the first departure for the Longhorns this spring.

But expect more roster attrition in the coming days and weeks this spring, especially if Texas adds a player or two in the portal to fill needs on the roster.

Here's a prediction of the first portal commitment for the Longhorns in the spring portal window.

Philip Blidi, DL

The first potential portal target that emerged at defensive tackle for the Longhorns during spring ball was the former Indiana Hoosiers and Texas Tech Red Raiders senior grad transfer Philip Blidi. The 6-foot-3 and 295-pound two-time transfer defensive tackle was one of the rare proven interior defensive linemen to enter the portal this spring.

Blidi started double-digit games for Indiana last season, and graded out among the top half of starting defensive tackles in the Big Ten.

Since Blidi was a graduate transfer, he was able to enter the portal in the midst of spring ball. He's been contacted by multiple Power Five programs in the last month or so, and even visited a few in the last couple of weeks.

On3 reports that Blidi was on campus earlier this week in Baton Rouge for a visit to see the LSU Tigers. He's also recently visited the Washington Huskies and plans to see Norman and the Oklahoma Sooners next week.

It remains to be seen if Texas will push for a visit from Blidi this spring. I know that Texas at least kicked the tires on the possibility of pursuing Blidi in the portal in the last few weeks. But we know that Texas plays the patient game with portal and high school recruiting.

If Texas is going to legitimately pursue Blidi in the portal, we'll probably know that within the next few days as the spring game approaches on April 20.