Texas Football: 3 stars UT is targeting in transfer portal

Jamaree Caldwell, DL

The clear-cut top target at defensive tackle for the Longhorns in the transfer portal early this offseason is the former Houston defensive lineman and ex-JUCO transfer Jamaree Caldwell.

Chris Hummer of 247Sports reported last weekend that Caldwell isn't expected to return to Houston for the 2024 season. Hummer mentioned in this report that he's "heard a lot of positive buzz with Texas" and Caldwell in the last week or so.

This report from Hummer comes a few weeks after On3 initially reported that Caldwell intended to enter the transfer portal this offseason. But there was mixed reporting regarding Caldwell's intentions to follow through and enter the transfer portal in the days that followed that On3 report.

Caldwell would be a huge get for the Longhorns along the interior defensive line. Texas lost multiple top-tier defensive tackles to the 2024 NFL Draft, including the Outland Trophy winner T'Vondre Sweat and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year Byron Murphy II.

The 6-foot-1 and 325-pound Caldwell is a tremendously productive interior pass rusher and a high-quality run stopper who can effectively two-gap and overwhelm smaller opposing offensive linemen with his combination of size and strength.

Caldwell was the second-highest-graded run defender among Big 12 defensive tackles this season. And he led all Big 12 defensive tackles in sacks during the 2023 campaign, with six.