Texas football expected to have a shot at A&M transfer WR Evan Stewart

Multiple reports confirm (including from On3) that a potential Texas football target and Texas A&M Aggies sophomore wide receiver Evan Stewart has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. Stewart reportedly entered the transfer portal on Dec. 19.

There were various rumors that Stewart was considering entering the transfer portal in the last few weeks. But now that he is in the portal this week, that theoretically gives head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns an opportunity to pursue a possible target at a position of need in the receiving corps.

Texas football could be in consideration for Texas A&M transfer WR Evan Stewart

Texas has targeted wide receivers among their top positions of need in the transfer portal during the December window. The first portal commitment for the Longhorns this cycle was a wide receiver, with the former Houston Cougars sophomore wideout Matthew Golden pledging to Texas on Dec. 16.

But the Longhorns have been targeting multiple impact wideouts in the portal with all three starters expected to enter the NFL Draft next spring. Texas would likely still be willing to take another immediate impact player at wide receiver via the transfer portal this offseason, which is why Stewart is such a viable fit still on the Forty Acres.

There are many connections between Stewart and the Longhorns. It started with him being committed to the Longhorns early in Sark's tenure as Texas's head coach in 2021. He's also very close with multiple Longhorns players, namely true freshman wide receiver Johntay Cook II.

Stewart wound up flipping to Texas A&M in the fall of 2021 after Texas won five games during Sark's first year as the head coach.

In the last few years, Texas and Texas A&M are in completely different places. Texas is competing in the College Football Playoff while Texas A&M just replaced former head coach Jimbo Fisher, who the Aggies will spend over $100 million buying out.

Texas expected to be a realistic option for Stewart in the portal

Given Stewart's past connections with Sark and the Longhorns and his potential in this offense at wideout, it's obvious that Texas will be one of the first potential landing spots that comes to minds for people after they see him in the transfer portal today. And it sounds like Texas is expected to be one of the top schools in consideration for Stewart after he officially entered the portal on Dec. 19.

Horns247 reported on Dec. 19 (paid content) that Texas "would feel great about their chances" with Stewart in the portal. Now that Stewart is in the portal, we'll see how Texas pursues this transfer recruitment.

It's also worth noting that there has been mixed messaging from the Texas side of things regarding how hard Sark and the Longhorns would actually push for Stewart in the portal. Texas is still in a spot to be patient with its evaluations in the portal, especially with one transfer wideout already committed in Golden.

We will continue to follow this portal recruitment for updates in the coming days. There will likely be some big twists and turns that happen pretty quickly now that Stewart is in the portal just one day before the start of signing day on Dec. 20.