Predicting Texas's first portal commitment this spring

Bill Norton, DL

Former Arizona Wildcats and Georgia Bulldogs two-time transfer defensive tackle Bill Norton announced his intentions to enter the portal a couple of days ago.

On Texas Football's CJ Vogel mentioned Norton as a portal entrant to keep an eye on for the Longhorns in a piece published after he announced his transfer intentions earlier this weekend. The 6-foot-6 and 325-pound senior defensive tackle has multiple connections to Texas that would make sense for him to wind up on the 40 via the transfer portal this spring.

Norton played for new Texas co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Johnny Nansen last season. Nansen was Arizona's defensive coordinator when Norton committed to the Wildcats via the portal last offseason.

Norton has the size and proven ability to play along interior defensive lines in the Power Five at Arizona and Georgia in the last few years. He played nearly 200 snaps as a true nose tackle for Arizona against Power Five competition in 2023. That ranked second most regarding P5 nose tackle snaps in Pac-12, only behind Alexander from USC.

Nansen already brought one former Arizona grad transfer defensive tackle to Texas to fill a need along the interior defensive line this offseason in senior Tia Savea. Norton is someone to watch for the Longhorns in this portal recruitment to fill a big need at defensive line this spring.

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