Texas Football: Predicting UT's first portal commit of 2024

Aydan White, CB

Texas added its first portal commit at defensive back during the December window a few weeks ago in the Clemson transfer Mukuba.

Mukuba is expected to play at the star position for Texas, which is where he played at Clemson during the 2023 campaign and in parts of the 2022 season.

But depending on roster movement and attrition early this offseason, Texas could still be in the market for a proven and experienced defensive back. It looks like the Longhorns could lose another scholarship defensive back or two to the portal this offseason.

There is also the looming NFL Draft decision for redshirt junior corner Ryan Watts. Regardless of what Watts decides, he likely won't be playing cornerback for the Longhorns in 2024. If he does return, he would be best off moving to safety for the 2024 campaign.

If Texas does pursue an experienced cornerback in the portal early this offseason, they'd be looking for a player with proven Power Five starting reps. A good option to fit that specification could be the former NC State Wolfpack redshirt junior cornerback Aydan White.

The 6-foot and 190-pound corner has over 2,000 defensive snaps in his four years at NC State, so he definitely brings the requisite experience Texas would be looking for at the Power Five level. White's starting experience (he was a multi-year starter at NC State) would bring a valuable veteran voice to a Texas cornerback room that will be pretty green in 2024.

Texas will only have one returning cornerback with multiple years of consistent live-game experience with the Longhorns, sophomore Terrance Brooks. True freshman corner Malik Muhammad had a great first year performance for Texas this season.

But the rest of the cornerback room will mostly be comprised of true freshmen that signed with the Longhorns in the 2024 class, outside of redshirt junior and former Wake Forest transfer Gavin Holmes.

White would also bring quality Power Five production to the Longhorns if they were to hypothetically target him in the portal this offseason.

White was a First-Team All-ACC selection in 2022 and a Third-Team selection this season.

Regarding physical tools, proven Power Five experience, and positional need in the secondary, White would check many of the boxes the Longhorns would be looking for from a corner target in the portal this offseason.